Telangana leads larger states in med seat ratio
Hyderabad: Telangana leads larger states in the ratio of medical seats, with 238 seats per 10 lakh people, despite ranking fifth nationally in total seats. This milestone was detailed in the provisional list of medical seats recently released by the National Medical Council (NMC).
While Karnataka has the highest total number of seats (12,545), its ratio stands at only 184 seats per 10 lakh population. This disparity gained significance after the NMC's 2022 proposal to limit undergraduate medical seats to 100 per 10 lakh population to address regional healthcare disparities. However, this regulation has been postponed until 2025 due to political resistance, notably from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Telangana hosts 65 medical colleges — 36 govt-run and 29 private — with eight new govt colleges approved last year. However, medical professionals have voiced concerns about the aggressive expansion of colleges, citing inadequate infrastructure and faculty recruitment.
Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, chairman of Public Health & Community Services, IMA Telangana, highlighted an uneven doctor distribution favoring urban areas, despite Telangana nearly meeting the WHO-recommended ratio of 1:1000. "This uneven growth is already impacting the career prospects of existing doctors. Unless there is a clear plan to strengthen primary healthcare by effectively integrating these young doctors into the system, this expansion risks becoming a serious setback for both the state and the health of its people," he said.
Telangana Teaching Govt Doctors Association (TTGDA) general secretary, Dr Kiran Madala, pointed out faculty shortages, especially at the assistant professor level. "There is a dire need to recruit more faculty. Multiple openings remain vacant. The focus should be on strengthening human resources rather than building so many colleges," he stated.
Even premier colleges like Osmania Medical College and Gandhi Medical College suffer from infrastructure and faculty deficits.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Facing cases, fake docs back in biz; booked again
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He was running the facility with multiple beds and even prescribing allopathic injections, IV-fluids, and other drugs to patients. These injections can be detrimental if administered unsupervised," said a TGMC member, who was part of the inspection team. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Based on the council's complaint, Vanasthalipuram police booked a second case against him under Section 318(4) and 319 (2) (cheating), Section 22 of the Telangana Medical Practitioners Registration (TMPR) Act (punishment for contravention), and Section 34,r/w 54 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act (ban to practise on unregistered medical practitioners). "We have filed a charge sheet in both cases and the cases are now before the Rangareddy court. We have also brought it to the notice of the judge that Rao is a repeat offender," said an official from the Vanasthalipuram police station. Similarly, in the second case TGMC found an unqualified practitioner, G Suresh, running a clinic — Laxmi Clinic — in Mancherial. "Despite being booked under multiple sections for cheating and forgery, Suresh returned to his practice within three months under a new name, Laxmi First Aid Centre," said a TGMC member who registered the complaint. He added: "Even after the second FIR in 2024, he continues to run a single bed facility and has even hired an unqualified nursing staff. " The second FIR against Suresh was filed under similar sections at the Mancherial town police station. 'Enforcement of Act a challenge' Incidentally, while as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines practising medicine without an MBBS degree — which amounts to quackery — is punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh, the state rule is much more lenient. As per the TGMPR Act, such offenders face only three months in jail and a fine of Rs 500. Dr K Mahesh Kumar, chairman of TGMC, says this loophole is exploited by many fake doctors, and admits to enforcement of the state Act still being a challenge. "It is the responsibility of the DMHO (district medical and health officer) and district registration authority (DRA) to crack down on quacks, seal clinics and conduct regular follow ups to check whether they are practising again," said Dr Kumar, adding, "We have been writing to them in this regard and sending FIR copies too. But no follow ups are being conducted. Few months ago, a DMHO sealed a quack's clinic in Medchal but after four months the clinic reopened. " Since TGMC's formation in 2024, the council has filed about 170 FIRs about quacks. Of these, charge sheets have been filed in 135 cases and trials are underway in 40. "But the problem is much deeper. Our estimate is there are around 55,000 quacks operating across Telangana, with nearly 75% concentrated in urban centres such as Hyderabad and its peripheries," said a council member Don't have authority: DMHO According to health officials, lack of coordination among enforcement bodies is a concern. A senior DMHO, on condition of anonymity, claimed their department only intervenes in serious cases like illegal abortions or medical negligence. "We are not the regulatory authority for quackery," said the official, claiming that the govt is, in fact, considering regularising quacks by issuing medical certificates. "There are about 3,000 to 4,000 such practitioners in every district. If the govt wants us to act, why wouldn't we?" he said. The official also pointed to the gaps in public healthcare infrastructure, stating how these quacks often refer patients to hospitals and take commissions, acting as unofficial intermediaries. "Many of them are well-established in their localities. They are seen as accessible healthcare providers, especially in underserved areas." QUOTE Unless a dedicated, autonomous body is created to deal with quackery and expedite legal proceedings, the situation will only worsen. We have only 19 members across the state for inspections, with most of them practising doctors themselves. Without systemic changes and strong political will, this menace will continue. — Dr K Mahesh Kumar, chairman, TGMC GFX: Cases where individuals were caught with fake MBBS certificates of real doctors -- In March this year, an individual at Ankura hospital, Madinaguda was found practising with forged medical registration documents by the medical council. The accused, identified as Kalapala Bharat Kumar, edited the original certificate of a doctor by altering his name, address and other credentials. An FIR was registered at Miyapur police station. The hospital dismissed him immediately. -- In Feb a govt doctor from Nizamabad medical college and TGMC filed two separate complaints against a man for allegedly running a clinic in Turkayamjal, Rangareddy using a forged MBBS degree of the govt doctor. Vanasthalipuram police filed an FIR against Chandrashekhar and initiated a probe -- In a surprise inspection on Dec 31 2024, TGMC caught a person named V Rambabu for illegally running a hospital (Vijaya Hospital), in Kothur, Rangareddy. As per the council, Rambabu had illegally obtained a certificate from a qualified doctor and submitted it as a proof of registration to the DMHO. A case was registered at Kothur police station All these FIRs were registered under Sections 318 (cheating) and 319 (cheating by impersonating), 338 (forging documents) of BNS and other relevant sections of NMC and TMPR Act.
Time of India
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- Time of India
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- The Hindu
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