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PG diploma to degree: 275 more medical seats for Maharashtra
This means that around 2,120 seats in colleges across the country can now be converted from diploma seats to degree seats.
As many as 19 medical colleges across Maharashtra, currently offering post graduate (PG) medical courses, have been allowed to convert 275 diploma seats into three-year MD or MS seats for the academic year 2019-20.
The decision was taken by the Board of Governors (BOG) of the Medical Council of India (MCI), and announced through a circular issued last week.
This means that around 2,120 seats in colleges across the country can now be converted from diploma seats to degree seats.
Of these, institutes in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have the largest share, with 470 and 461 seats respectively.
Medical institutes in the city that can convert their seats include Grant Medical College and JJ Group of Hospitals in Byculla with 33 new seats
and GS Medical College and King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Parel with 30 seats.
Others in the state include BJ Medical College, Pune (27 seats), Mahatma Gandhi
Memorial College in Navi Mumbai (10), Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College, Wardha (15), and Government Medical College in Nagpur (30).
“The BOG considered the matter with regard to increase of seats in PG degree courses in lieu of the surrender
of PG diploma seats, along with a request from the central government as well as the recommendations of an expert committee,” said the circular.
Moreover, the circular states that permission for conversion of seats is also subject to approval of the affiliated university, to which institutes seeking to convert seats will have to apply individually.
Officials from the state-based PG medical institutes are now waiting to receive an official confirmation from MCI before applying for approval from the affiliated university.
“Once we have the MCI approval, the university should not take much time to clear the approval. This will help us introduce new seats in the ongoing admission process,” said a spokesperson for a Pune-based medical institute.
The PG medical admission process is currently underway for students in the state.
However, no decision has been taken yet regarding inclusion of 16% Maratha reservation in the admission process, as the Bombay high court is hearing petitions against the quota.
