MGM ignores MCI norms on admission

NOTWITHSTANDING THE Medical Council of India (MCI) norms regarding admission to M Sc (Medical) and other courses, authorities at the MGM Medical College have called applications from only MBBS pass students, thus denying a chance to those with B Sc, B Pharm, B V Sc and BDS degrees as in other institutes across the country.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE Medical Council of India (MCI) norms regarding admission to M Sc (Medical) and other courses, authorities at the MGM Medical College have called applications from only MBBS pass students, thus denying a chance to those with B Sc, B Pharm, B V Sc and BDS degrees as in other institutes across the country.

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The MGM College had, vide an advertisement in a local newspaper, announced admissions to M Sc courses in Medical, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology, pharmacology and physiology for the 2006-2007 academic session. According to the advertisement, the eligibility criterion was only MBBS pass students when all over India, students with B Sc, B Pharm, B V Sc and BDS degrees are also eligible for the same.

Peeved by it, several worried students went ahead to request the authorities to amend the eligibility criterion. They have also submitted a request letter in this regard to the Dean of the College, University Vice Chancellor, Indore MP Sumitra Mahajan and also to the Governor and Chancellor of Universities. October 16 is the last date for admissions.

Defending the decision, MGM College Dean Dr V K Saini said, “When we submitted the proposal to the university four years ago, it was clear that the course was being started so as to increase the number of doctors (MBBS) who after doing M Sc course can be absorbed as Associate Professors.”

When asked about MCI guidelines on the course, Dr Saini said, “Our course was started with this purpose. I don’t know what other institutes do. More than 50 per cent posts are vacant here. How can a B Sc/M Sc person teach at the medical college? It has to be MBBS/M Sc combination.”

There are a total of 42 seats for the M Sc course at MGM Medical College. Of these, 10 are for Anatomy, four for Biochemistry, six for Microbiology, six for pharmacology and as many as 16 for Physiology. Students claim they learn more about that subject (for example pharmacology by B Pharm) during their respective degree courses as against MBBS students, who learn it only as one subject out of so many.

Reputed institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (New Delhi), Maharaja Sayajirao University (Baroda) and Kasturba Medical College (Manipal) conduct similar courses. All the students with degrees mentioned above are eligible for the M Sc (Medical)  course in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology.