Medical colleges asked to share vacancy status, govt tells HC

GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ASKED TO SHIFT 101 MBBS STUDENTS OF CHINTPURNI MEDICAL COLLEGE, PATHANKOT

PATIALA: The department of medical education and research has written to all state-run medical colleges to share their vacancy status of medical seats in order to adjust 101 MBBS students of Pathankot-based Chintpurni Medical College.

The department submitted this in its affidavit to Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday during the resumed hearing of the petition filed by students regarding their shifting to other colleges.

The case pertains to the contempt petition plea filed by students earlier this month, alleging that despite court’s June 7 directions, the department did not shift them. The department submitted in the court that four colleges have shared their vacancy status and the response of other colleges is awaited.

The department also stated that it had conducted an inspection of the college on July 18 to take a call on closing down the college. Sources said findings of the report submitted two days ago to the department, was on the lines of MCI’s last inspection report in March, which found no faculty and patients in the college. Based on MCI’s report, the college was denied permission to admit new students.

The department’s director, Dr Manjit Mohi, who did not share the inspection report’s details, said the report would be tabled before the high court on the next hearing on August 1.

Sushil Garg, who heads a parents’ joint forum, said the government has unnecessarily indulged in technicalities to defer the shifting. “There was no need for inspection when MCI’s report had exposed malfunctioning in the college. Things have only worsened since then,” he said.