Coming down heavily on Medical Council of India for ‘punishing’ MBBS aspirants instead of medical colleges for not complying with rules, union health minister Harsh Vardhan said, ‘This step of MCI has led to the loss of 1,170 medical seats in the 2014-15 academic year, thereby nipping in the bud the dreams of many meritorious candidates.’
Vardhan, who had earlier charged the regulatory body with corrupt practices, said it was an open secret for years that the MCI looked the other way as medical colleges rampantly flouted regulations.
‘Suddenly, this year they have struck. But why are they not punishing managements? Students have been punished. For many of them the dream of becoming a doctor has evaporated as they would be forced to pursue studies in other disciplines,’ the minister said in a statement on Saturday.
Though 2,750 new MBBS seats were approved this year, applications for the renewal of 3,920 seats were rejected by the MCI for the failure of colleges to meet its requirements, causing a net deficit of 1,170 seats.
Meanwhile, Vardhan on Saturday visited AIIMS Rishikesh to take stock of the development works of the institution.
Vardhan, who had earlier charged the regulatory body with corrupt practices, said it was an open secret for years that the MCI looked the other way as medical colleges rampantly flouted regulations.
‘Suddenly, this year they have struck. But why are they not punishing managements? Students have been punished. For many of them the dream of becoming a doctor has evaporated as they would be forced to pursue studies in other disciplines,’ the minister said in a statement on Saturday.
Though 2,750 new MBBS seats were approved this year, applications for the renewal of 3,920 seats were rejected by the MCI for the failure of colleges to meet its requirements, causing a net deficit of 1,170 seats.
Meanwhile, Vardhan on Saturday visited AIIMS Rishikesh to take stock of the development works of the institution.