Process to shift students to other colleges set in motion

CHANDIGARH: With the withdrawal of all permissions to Banur-based Gian Sagar medical college, the state government has set in motion process to shift 1,500 students to other colleges in Punjab.

Medical education secretary Vikas Partap told HT a formal communication regarding withdrawal of permissions will be sent to the Union government and medical, dental and nursing councils of India to seek permission to facilitate shifting of Gian Sagar students.

The Union health ministry, on the recommendation of the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Nursing Council of India, will give sanction for increasing seats in other colleges for adjusting Gian Sagar students. Once the permission is granted, the Punjab medical education department will conduct fresh counselling before shifting the students to other colleges. “The students will be shifted to other colleges on the same pattern they were admitted to Gian Sagar,” said an official. For example, a student enrolled under the government quota at Gian Sagar will be shifted in the same category in other colleges.

The shifting exercise is not an easy task since the college has 500 students each in the MBBS, dental and nursing courses. However, officials are confident that they will manage it since they have adequate infrastructure in place in other colleges. The state has 109 nursing, 16 dental and nine medical colleges.