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We need to discuss India’s reliance on private medical colleges

BMJ 2015; 350 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h237 (Published 22 January 2015) Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h237

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It is unfortunate that the Medical Council of India (MCI), which is the regulatory body for medical education, is also manipulated to favor private medical colleges. Not only are new Government Medical Colleges not being opened, 11 Employee State Insurance (ESI) run medical colleges (Government controlled) which were started recently have been ordered to be closed (1).

Prestigious Institutions like Government Medical College Amritsar(150 seats), Christian Medical College Ludhiana (75 seats) and Dayanand Medical College Ludhiana (70 seats) have been denied increase in MBBS seats by MCI (2). This is despite the fact that these are among the most sought after medical colleges where students seek admission with only the top ranking students managing to get admission in them.

This is in comparison to recognition given to the privately owned Adesh Institute of Medical sciences Bhatinda, Chintpurni Medical College,and Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences Jallandhar which have been approved for 150 seats each and Gian Sagar Medical College for 100 seats despite massive infrastructure and faculty problems plus a very poor patient load in these institutions.

Political patronage and interests of their beneficiaries are prime concerns in such approvals rather than facilities available. Though in Punjab the problem of capitation fee is not overtly existent (barring few exceptions) but even without it the regular fee of these private colleges is astronomical and does not justify the ranking of these colleges.

This is however not to say that all private medical colleges are sub standard. Colleges like Manipal, CMC Ludhiana, CMC Vellore, DMC Ludhiana are centers of excellence in their own right. Political ownership of most private medical colleges in the country specially in states where capitation fee is rampant creates a conflict of interest with the law makers becoming beneficiaries of the policies they make.

Foreign Medical Graduates are forced to clear the MCI conducted exam which has pass percentages of 13-20 %. This works as a disincentive to students who wish to undertake medical studies in countries like China, Russia, Phillipines where education is cheaper. This forces them to opt for the private Medical Colleges in India where capitation fee will be the entrance criterion.

Reference;
1)http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150108/jsp/calcutta/story_7365.jsp#.VMBtK...

2)http://www.mciindia.org/InformationDesk/ForStudents/ListofCollegesTeachi...

Dr Neeraj Nagpal
Convenor
Medicos Legal Action Group

Competing interests: No competing interests

22 January 2015
Neeraj Nagpal
Consultant Physician & GI Endoscopist
Hope Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Clinic
1184 Sector 21-B