Sources said MCI, every year, inspects medical colleges across the country to check infrastructure, staff strength and other facilities. A couple of months back, the council inspected Faridkot and Amritsar medical colleges.

The Faridkot college, where admissions have been banned for the 50 seats in the first year course, is the only medical college in Malwa region. It was started in 1975 by Giani Zail Singh.

“The MCI team found that the Faridkot college was shy of 48 doctors, which included 11 heads of various departments. There was also shortage of staff nurses and operation theatre operators,” said an officer. He added, “Besides, the college lacks a CT scan machine and many expensive equipment had not even been unpacked.”

An officer said, “The admissions to first year have been temporarily banned and the matter will be soon sorted out with the MCI. Hopefully, the session will start this year.”

Similar was the case of Amritsar college, which has 20 per cent less staff. Some of its staff is on deputation to Patiala and Faridkot medical colleges. Now, the state Medical and Research Department has told both Faridkot and Patiala colleges to send the staff back.

The departmental promotion committee meeting was recently held and the file has been sent to the Personnel Department. Thus vacancies, which are to be filled by promotion in AMC, will be filled soon, an officier said. Besides, tenders have also been issued for purchasing MRI and CT scan machines, which would be bought within a month. “The shortcomings pointed out by the MCI in Amritsar Medical College will be rectified within two months,” he added.

There are 350 seats in the three medical colleges of the state, 150 each in Amritsar and Patiala and 50 in Faridkot. Besides this, there are five private medical colleges in the state. This year, only Patiala Medical College was not inspected by the MCI.