Medical students get a 15-day leave

KOCHI: The Government Medical College, Ernakulam, has declared a 15-day holiday for the first batch of MBBS students, citing lack of hostel facility for girl students. Of the 84 students who joined the 2014-15 MBBS batch, 55 are girls.
The decision was taken after holding discussions with all stakeholders, including parents. "We expect to sort out the issue soon,'' said Dr Praveenlal Kuttichira, the college principal.College authorities have given a list of homestays near the area to parents. "Parents should find accommodation for their wards. We will provide to and fro transportation facilities for students," Praveenlal said.
"After five months, a batch of 100 students will leave the college. We will then be able to accommodate all girls students from the new batch in the hostel," he said.
Earlier, the medical college authorities had made an attempt to bifurcate the men's house surgeon quarters to accommodate girl students of the new batch.
"We held talks with the house surgeons and they agreed to the proposal. Unfortunately, when workers came to the hostel, they protested," the principal said.
Meanwhile, a hostel being constructed for nursing students at the medical college campus has not been completed yet. According to medical college employees, the work has been stalled for the last two years. The Rs 9-crore project was undertaken by the Kerala police housing and construction corporation. If they had completed the work, 60 nursing students, staying now at the medical college hostel, could have been shifted to the new hostel.