Adequate faculty in medical colleges, NMC notice won't affect admissions: Health Minister Ma Subramanian
CHENNAI: After the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued show-cause notices to 35 of 36 government medical colleges in the state, citing various shortcomings, including inadequate faculty strength, Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Wednesday indicated that the notices will not affect student admissions in these colleges.
Addressing the reporters, the minister said 26 colleges have already sent their replies with appropriate explanation to the NMC last Friday, and three others will send their replies on Wednesday. The director of medical education and research has also issued guidelines for the remaining colleges to submit their explanations by next Friday.
Although such notices citing certain discrepancies are issued to a few colleges every year, it raised concerns this year since almost all government medical colleges in the state had received notices.
On the alleged shortage of doctors, Subramanian said all vacancies in medical colleges were filled up as per the sanctioned strength. There were 415 vacancies, of which 328 were filled initially, and the remaining 87 were filled on Tuesday. A few months ago, 2,246 doctor vacancies were filled by the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MSRB), keeping in mind the vacancies that were going to arise, he said.
Not only those with MBBS qualification, but doctors who completed their PG were also selected in the recruitment process. The minister further said that steps are being taken to fill vacant posts of associate professors and professors, through promotion counselling.
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