*Takes strong note on absence of biometric attendance system
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 25: The inspection by Medical Council of India (MCI) today ended on a positive note with the inspection team granting unconditional permission to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, to go ahead with the present 150 seats of MBBS but at the same time it took strong note of absence of biometric attendance system in the institution.
According to reliable sources in GMC Jammu, a 3-member team of MCI visited the institution on early morning of last Wednesday in order to conduct 4th batch renewal inspection, which last till midnight of Thursday. They said that except some minor issues the inspection concluded on a positive note, as MCI team gave an unconditional permission to GMC Jammu for 150 MBBS seats. “Though this was a temporary permission, the final permission will be given after another inspection to be conducted later next year”, they added.
Sources told Excelsior that major deficiencies that were pointed out by the MCI team in its last visit to the institution were 21% deficiency of faculty members which was reduced to less than 5% (which is within acceptable limit of MCI) this time, as Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat and Health Secretary, MK Bhandari, took keen interest and in a short period about 96 faculty members were given On Pay Grade Promotion and DPC was conducted on war footing for 56 faculty members who were promoted without DPC.
“The other deficiencies pin pointed by the team last time were lack of one examination hall (against two) of seating capacity 250, deficient space of library, a hostel for male and female at Rural Community Health Centre in RS Pura, which are presently in the 2nd phase of construction, and thus considered partially rectified by the MCI team”, the sources said, adding, besides, there was also deficiency of e-class rooms and manpower shortage as well as lack of proper computerization of MRD Section, which were fully achieved now and the MCI team accepted this.
Sources said that the MCI team had also objected to absence of recreation rooms for boys and girls and the congested High Dependency Emergency Ward, when the MCI team had visited the institution last time but these deficiencies were also rectified this time, as recreation rooms have been constructed. The 32-bedded High Dependency Emergency Ward has also been constructed.
“Similarly, there was deficiency of space in the interns’ hostel for 110 students, but the same was also considered partially corrected by the MCI team, as the work on students’ hostel is under progress near Government Psychiatric Hospital, Jammu”, they further revealed.
“As per MCI norms, there should be 2 demonstration rooms in each department but during the last visit of MCI there was deficiency of these rooms in the department of Microbiology, Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Bio Chemistry”, sources further said, adding, but this deficiency was fully rectified in Microbiology and Bio Chemistry departments and partially rectified in Forensic Medicine but Pathology department still lacks this facility.
Sources further said that the institution was also deficient of 5 lectures hall, as pointed out by the MCI team in last inspection but this deficiency was also fulfilled this time and the MCI team accepted this and after being satisfied on many issues it granted unconditional but temporary permission of 150 MBBS seats to the Medical College Jammu, as the final permission will be granted if the College fulfills all the deficiencies to its utter satisfaction in another visit of MCI, which may be conducted later next year.
However, the administration of GMC Jammu had to face embarrassment on the issue of biometric attendance system and the MCI team took strong not of this deficiency and warned the administration to remove this deficiency in the earliest possible time.
Sources claimed that it was very challenging to fulfill such large scale deficiencies in the institution in a short period of time but the concerned Minister, Bali Bhagat and Secretary, Health and Medical Education, MK Bhandari and Executive Member of MCI, Dr Anil Mahajan played very positive role to remove most of these deficiencies.
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