MillenniumPost
Bengal

About 85 to 90% of BHMS seats under state quota lie vacant every yr due to Centre's faulty policy: Prinicipals write to CM

kolkata: Principals of seven state government-aided homeopathic medical colleges in the state have written to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her intervention into the current admission system of BHMS course under National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) format due to which the most of the seats are not filled up.

As 85-90 per cent of BHMS seats under state quota remain vacant every year due to the 'faulty policy' of the Centre while framing guidelines of the NEET.

The development comes at a time when the Bengal Chief Minister has repeatedly urged the Centre to increase the medical seats in the state.

The importance of increasing the medical seats has been felt by various states during the pandemic. Incidentally, Chief Minister Banerjee during her recent meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on virtual platform urged the latter to increase medical seats.

After coming to power the Mamata Banerjee had taken initiatives for seat hike. The number of MBBS seats increased up to 4,000 while the figure stood at 900 till 2011.

In the letter, principals of the seven government aided Homeopathic Medical Colleges including PCM Homeopathic Medical College in Kolkata, Metropolitan Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital in North 24-Parganas' Sodepur, Bengal Homeopathic Medical College in Asansol, mentioned that around 50 per cent of the total BHMS seats counseling of which is done through NEET, are reserved for state quota and these seats are called 'free seats'. But around 85-90 percent of these seats remain vacant for the last three years.

This is because of the faulty policy of the Centre. The cut-off marks of NEET exam stands same both for MBBS and BHMS. This is because of inappropriate steps taken during the admission process of 1st BHMS students by the Union government, reads the letter.

The principals also pointed out that the medical colleges have been facing financial crunch as well. The authorities did not pay the salary to the teaching doctors and non –teaching staff.

All the principals have also urged the Chief Minister to make a provision in the state budget so that these Homeopathic Medical Colleges can thrive.

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