After Centre’s nod, HC gives Punjab 3 weeks to shift students

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday gave three weeks to the Punjab government to shift 1,500 students of Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, to other colleges. The state has been asked to notify a counselling schedule by June 5 and complete it along with admissions within three weeks for all courses, including MBBS, BDS, nursing, and physiotherapy.

The college has been in a financial mess for months now, and classes remain suspended since February.

During a resumed hearing of a petition filed by students, on Friday, assistant solicitor general Chetan Mittal appeared for the Union ministry of health and family welfare, and told the court that the Centre has accepted the proposal of various regulatory bodies, including Medical Council of India (MCI) and Dental Council of India (DCI), on shifting of students. The Indian Nursing Council too said in court that it has no objection to shifting the students. The court also asked the state government to take decision on shifting of physiotherapy course students at the earliest.

The HC also asked the Gian Sagar management to return the original certificates and attendance record of the students to be shifted.

Earlier, counsels for the petitioners had demanded that students should not be shifted to colleges affiliated to the private Adesh University; instead seats be created in colleges affiliated to state-run Baba Farid University of Heath Sciences. However, the state’s advocate general, Atul Nanda, informed the court that admission would be as per plan approved by the Centre.

It was on May 10 that the government had withdrawn the essentiality certificate to colleges run by the trust.

The matter had reached court in April as some students filed petitions demanding that their classes be started or they be shifted to other colleges in Punjab. In March, BJP leader Swaran Salaria was in talks to take over the management of the trust but backed out. The management at present is headed by Barinder Bhangoo — a daughter of Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, main accused in a Rs 45,000-crore chit-fund scam by Pearls Group — and her husband Harsatinder Singh.

Punjab government on Friday directed Baba Farid University of health sciences in Farikot to conduct the counseling for shifting of Gian Sagar College students to other recognised colleges in Punjab at the earliest.

“The state government will make sure that the entire shifting process of Gian Sagar students is done smoothly in fair and transparent manner,” said Secretary, medical education Vikas Partap. He said that there is no hindrance left in shifting since central has given all its approvals.

When contacted, vice chancellor Raj Bhadur said the counselling schedule will be announced before June 5 as directed.