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Mohali medical college to begin admissions this year
National Medical Commission has issued a letter of intent for 100 MBBS seats to Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences in Phase 6, Mohali
With the National Medical Commission (NMC) issuing a letter of intent for 100 MBBS seats to Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences in Phase 6, Mohali, the admission will begin from this academic session. The college is affiliated to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.
Two weeks back, the NMC had inspected the college, following which the letter of intent has been issued. Now, the college has been asked to submit an undertaking within two weeks, stating it will comply with all instructions and guidelines of the NMC.
Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that it is a red-letter day in the history of Punjab as with operationalisation of this institute, medical education in the state will get a major push and people will get quality health facilities. He also expressed gratitude to the NMC for granting the letter of intent.
Channi asked the officials concerned to complete the necessary formalities at the earliest for starting the academic session in the institute at the earliest.
The institute being set up under the aegis of an autonomous society — Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences Society — is the fourth government medical college in Punjab, and the first to come up in 48 years. The other colleges are in Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot.
At present, there are 1,400 MBBS seats across private and government medical colleges in Punjab, which will go up to 1,500 with 100 more seats at the medical college in Mohali.
In the letter of intent, it has been stated that the NMC’s medical assessment and rating board examined the assessor’s report and remarks of expert groups on the college infrastructure and staff, following which 100 MBBS seats have been approved. However, there is 8% shortage in faculty, which has to be recruited, the letter said.
Dr Bhavneet Bharti, director principal of the medical college, said: “We have received the letter of Intent and will giving an undertaking to the NMC. Our admission process will begin this academic year, probably in October after the result of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test that was held on September 12.”
Though the state government was planning to start the academic session last year, the NMC had denied permission, citing certain shortcomings.
The ₹300-crore project was sanctioned during the Akali Dal regime in 2012 under the central-state partnership with funding in the ratio of 60:40. The Punjab government had finalised the site of the existing civil hospital in Phase 6, Mohali, to set up the institute, which will be eventually upgraded to 220 seats.
The state government had also announced funding of ₹157 crore for the construction of the college in its 2020-21 financial budget.
