PGI to send proposal to Centre for starting MBBS

PGIM plans to introduce the graduate-level MBBS course at its Sarangpur centre with an initial intake of 100 students

The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has decided to send a detailed proposal on starting MBBS course at the institute to the Union health ministry. The matter was discussed by the institute’s standing finance committee on Friday.

A higher-education research institute, PGIMER plans to introduce the graduate-level MBBS course at its Sarangpur centre with an initial intake of 100 students.

Currently, Chandigarh has only 92 MBBS seats in the general category at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32.

“Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and the Union health ministry have shown interest in starting MBBS at PGIMER. A 10-member committee of senior doctors has been constituted by the PGIMER director to prepare a proposal. The plan will then be discussed in the education committee meeting and sent to the Union health ministry for consideration,” said deputy director (administration), Kumar Gaurav Dhawan.

PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal said the MBBS course will help manage the patient load and meet the shortage of resident doctors to a great extent.