Shortage of teachers ails PMC's medical college, students cite lack of patient exposure

Time of India

19-07-2025

1
2
3
Pune: Four years after admitting its first batch of MBBS students, PMC's Bharat Ratna AB Vajpayee Medical College continues to grapple with shortage of professors and teachers as well as inadequate patients at its affiliated Kamla Nehru Hospital, which does not have an ICU or operating theatre (OT), impacting students' need for patient exposure.
The hospital also faces shortage of nursing and sanitation staffers. The medical college does not have adequate labs and equipment.
Since Jan this year, National Medical Commission (NMC), which regulates medical education in India, and the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) have issued multiple notices to the college, asking why its approval should not be withdrawn and why its affiliation should not be cancelled over non-fulfillment of norms.
You Can Also Check:
Pune AQI
|
Weather in Pune
|
Bank Holidays in Pune
|
Public Holidays in Pune
"Approvals to new medical colleges are granted against an undertaking on affidavit that they will meet all the norms in due course. Show-cause notices at regular intervals serve as a compliance verification mechanism. I am not aware of the specifics of this particular (PMC) medical college, but most new colleges are issued notices after a certain time to review the extent of compliance," NMC chairperson BN Gangadhar said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
The college admitted first batch of MBBS students for 2021-22 in March 2022 due to the Covid situation at that time. Currently, they are in the fourth year of their studies.
"We feel deprived of quality education and exposure to complex cases and patient care despite having paid a hefty fee (Rs7.50 lakh for state quota to Rs22.50 lakh for institutional quota), due to lack of a fully functional ICU," a student at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run college told TOI.
Another fourth-year MBBS student said, "I now regret leaving another medical college for the PMC-run college. Although we have had exposure to gynaecology cases, we had no professor to teach forensic and toxicology, a mandatory subjects in the third year. We attended only one autopsy class at YCM hospital because Kamala Nehru hospital does not have a dead house."
Yet another student said, "Since our affiliated hospital has no ICU, we are not exposed to tertiary level care or complicated cases.
The number of OPD patients is enough at the hospital, but there aren't enough in-patient department admissions."
NMC norms mandate 75% occupancy for the 430-bed Kamla Nehru Hospital at any given time but that is not the case due to lack of OTs.
Pro-vice-chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Dr Milind B Nikumbh said, "The medical college gave an undertaking it will meet all the norms, basis which we gave the affiliation.
If NMC gives them approval, the university has no right to deny affiliation to the college. Through our notice, we have asked the college to address all deficiencies or else it will lose our affiliation. NMC norms provide that the college must have 80% of approved teaching staff.
"
Naval Kishore Ram, the PMC commissioner, said, "In the three notices to us, NMC has cited shortage of faculties and indoor patient admissions.
We have been issuing advertisements to fill the posts, but we are facing trouble in recruiting reserved quota candidates. NMC has also raised some technical queries related to cadavers and the number of labs, which are being resolved on priority."
"As per NMC norms, if a reservation category faculty is not available, a doctor from the unreserved category can be recruited on a temporary basis for 11 months, which is what we would be doing," said Ram.
PMC has so far issued 23 advertisements to recruit staff on a temporary basis.
The college's officiating dean Dr Shilpa Pratinidhi conceded, "At least 83% of our teaching staff is working on a temporary basis. Our proposal to recruit staff for the hospital to ensure enough admissions is pending with the Urban Development Department. For the medical college, we have 99 class-I posts approved for permanent faculties, out of which we have been able to recruit 17 as of now.
We still need 25 more professors, assistant professors and associate professors for our 22 departments for which we conduct walk-in interviews regularly.
"
During his visit to the medical college on Thursday, the PMC commissioner told officials to expedite completion of the building and hostels.Dr Nina Borade, PMC's chief public health officer, said, "The commissioner visited the site which is located within Naidu Hospital premises and checked the ongoing construction.
He has also instructed the building department to ensure that the deadlines are met. We are sure that the building construction deadline will be met.
As far as the shortage of faculties is concerned. We will recruit faculties from unreserved category on a temporary basis for the reserved category, which is allowed under NMC norms so that we can meet the requirement needs."
Additional municipal commissioner Pradeep Chandran said, "We plan to shift some of the classrooms to our new building coming up near Naidu Hospital by August.
As of now, we have a total of 400 students. For the new batch, we will inaugurate two wings in the new building."
Pune: Four years after admitting its first batch of MBBS students, PMC's Bharat Ratna AB Vajpayee Medical College continues to grapple with shortage of professors and teachers as well as inadequate patients at its affiliated Kamla Nehru Hospital, which does not have an ICU or operating theatre (OT), impacting students' need for patient exposure.
The hospital also faces shortage of nursing and sanitation staffers. The medical college does not have adequate labs and equipment.
Since Jan this year, National Medical Commission (NMC), which regulates medical education in India, and the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) have issued multiple notices to the college, asking why its approval should not be withdrawn and why its affiliation should not be cancelled over non-fulfillment of norms.
"Approvals to new medical colleges are granted against an undertaking on affidavit that they will meet all the norms in due course. Show-cause notices at regular intervals serve as a compliance verification mechanism. I am not aware of the specifics of this particular (PMC) medical college, but most new colleges are issued notices after a certain time to review the extent of compliance," NMC chairperson BN Gangadhar said.
The college admitted first batch of MBBS students for 2021-22 in March 2022 due to the Covid situation at that time. Currently, they are in the fourth year of their studies.
"We feel deprived of quality education and exposure to complex cases and patient care despite having paid a hefty fee (Rs7.50 lakh for state quota to Rs22.50 lakh for institutional quota), due to lack of a fully functional ICU," a student at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run college told TOI.
Another fourth-year MBBS student said, "I now regret leaving another medical college for the PMC-run college. Although we have had exposure to gynaecology cases, we had no professor to teach forensic and toxicology, a mandatory subjects in the third year. We attended only one autopsy class at YCM hospital because Kamala Nehru hospital does not have a dead house."
Yet another student said, "Since our affiliated hospital has no ICU, we are not exposed to tertiary level care or complicated cases.
The number of OPD patients is enough at the hospital, but there aren't enough in-patient department admissions."
NMC norms mandate 75% occupancy for the 430-bed Kamla Nehru Hospital at any given time but that is not the case due to lack of OTs.
Pro-vice-chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Dr Milind B Nikumbh said, "The medical college gave an undertaking it will meet all the norms, basis which we gave the affiliation.
If NMC gives them approval, the university has no right to deny affiliation to the college. Through our notice, we have asked the college to address all deficiencies or else it will lose our affiliation. NMC norms provide that the college must have 80% of approved teaching staff.
"
Naval Kishore Ram, the PMC commissioner, said, "In the three notices to us, NMC has cited shortage of faculties and indoor patient admissions.
We have been issuing advertisements to fill the posts, but we are facing trouble in recruiting reserved quota candidates. NMC has also raised some technical queries related to cadavers and the number of labs, which are being resolved on priority."
"As per NMC norms, if a reservation category faculty is not available, a doctor from the unreserved category can be recruited on a temporary basis for 11 months, which is what we would be doing," said Ram.
PMC has so far issued 23 advertisements to recruit staff on a temporary basis.
The college's officiating dean Dr Shilpa Pratinidhi conceded, "At least 83% of our teaching staff is working on a temporary basis. Our proposal to recruit staff for the hospital to ensure enough admissions is pending with the Urban Development Department. For the medical college, we have 99 class-I posts approved for permanent faculties, out of which we have been able to recruit 17 as of now.
We still need 25 more professors, assistant professors and associate professors for our 22 departments for which we conduct walk-in interviews regularly.
"
During his visit to the medical college on Thursday, the PMC commissioner told officials to expedite completion of the building and hostels.Dr Nina Borade, PMC's chief public health officer, said, "The commissioner visited the site which is located within Naidu Hospital premises and checked the ongoing construction.
He has also instructed the building department to ensure that the deadlines are met. We are sure that the building construction deadline will be met.
As far as the shortage of faculties is concerned. We will recruit faculties from unreserved category on a temporary basis for the reserved category, which is allowed under NMC norms so that we can meet the requirement needs."
Additional municipal commissioner Pradeep Chandran said, "We plan to shift some of the classrooms to our new building coming up near Naidu Hospital by August. As of now, we have a total of 400 students. For the new batch, we will inaugurate two wings in the new building."