New Delhi: Around 175 private medical colleges, recently denied approval by the Union health ministry, are likely to get a second lifeline.
The three-member committee, headed by former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha and formed to oversee the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has decided to grant amnesty to such colleges.
Last week, the health ministry had turned down proposals for setting up of over 80 private medical colleges based on recommendations of the MCI. It also denied permissions to 47 medical colleges in various states to expand their intake of MBBS students during the 2016-17 session. Besides, 39 medical colleges were refused permission to either increase or start various super speciality courses for 2016-17.
Following the decision by the Lodha committee, these 175 medical colleges will now have a second opportunity to submit representations to the health ministry by June 22. "The process will be completed within 45 days," an official said.
The ministry will be setting up special counters where the colleges can file their fresh application. These applications will be then forwarded to MCI, which will make its recommendations after further consideration to the health ministry. The final call for approval or disapproval will be taken by the committee.
The process of approval and disapproval of medical colleges is usually over by June 15. However, because of concerns related to functioning of the MCI, for the first time the government has decided to allow another opportunity with extra time to colleges to seek approval.
However, the decision will not be applicable to those medical colleges which were rejected for lack of giving satisfactory documents at the initial stage.
The three-member committee, headed by former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha and formed to oversee the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has decided to grant amnesty to such colleges.
Last week, the health ministry had turned down proposals for setting up of over 80 private medical colleges based on recommendations of the MCI. It also denied permissions to 47 medical colleges in various states to expand their intake of MBBS students during the 2016-17 session. Besides, 39 medical colleges were refused permission to either increase or start various super speciality courses for 2016-17.
Following the decision by the Lodha committee, these 175 medical colleges will now have a second opportunity to submit representations to the health ministry by June 22. "The process will be completed within 45 days," an official said.
The ministry will be setting up special counters where the colleges can file their fresh application. These applications will be then forwarded to MCI, which will make its recommendations after further consideration to the health ministry. The final call for approval or disapproval will be taken by the committee.
The process of approval and disapproval of medical colleges is usually over by June 15. However, because of concerns related to functioning of the MCI, for the first time the government has decided to allow another opportunity with extra time to colleges to seek approval.
However, the decision will not be applicable to those medical colleges which were rejected for lack of giving satisfactory documents at the initial stage.