Medical college crisis: Process to shift Gian Sagar students to other colleges set in motion

Punjab medical education department will conduct fresh counselling before shifting Gian Sagar students to other colleges.

With the withdrawal of all permissions to Banur-based Gian Sagar medical college, the state government has set in motion the process to shift 1,500 students to other colleges in Punjab.

The college has 500 students each in the MBBS, dental and nursing courses. (HT Representative Image)

Medical education secretary Vikas Partap told HT a formal communication pertaining to withdrawal of permissions will be sent to the Union government and medical, dental and nursing councils of India to seek permission to facilitate shifting of Gian Sagar students.

According to the procedure, the Union health ministry, on the recommendation of the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Nursing Council of India, will give sanction for increasing seats in other colleges for adjusting Gian Sagar students.

Read | Gian Sagar students will be shifted to other medical colleges of Punjab as govt withdraws essentiality certificate

Once the permission is granted, the Punjab medical education department will conduct fresh counselling before shifting Gian Sagar students to other colleges. “The students will be shifted to other colleges on the same pattern they were admitted to Gian Sagar,” said an official. For example, a student enrolled under the government quota at Gian Sagar will be shifted in the same category in other colleges, said the official.

Sources said a preliminary meeting has already been held with the central agencies last month to apprise them about the ongoing crisis in the Gian Sagar college. The classes in the college have been suspended since February 1 as faculty and staff are yet not paid their wages.

NOT AN EASY TASK

At the face of it, the shifting exercise is not an easy task since the college has 500 students each in the MBBS, dental and nursing courses. However, officials are confident that they will manage it since they have adequate infrastructure in place in other colleges. The state has 109 nursing, 16 dental and nine medical colleges, both in government and private sectors.

Parents and students want quick shifting so there is no further academic loss.