Although the decision has not yet been officially communicated to the IGMCH authorities, highly-placed sources said, the decision to this effect has already been taken by the MCI last week.

The MCI conducted inspection at the IGMCH on May 5 and 6 last and sources said the MCI officials were displeased. Although the State government managed to fulfill the requirement of additional beds by attaching the Daga Hospital to IGMCH, staff and basic amenities requirement could not be fulfilled, leading to the decision to cancel the seats.

The additional seats were granted to the IGMCH during the last academic session, as a way to fulfill thebacklog of seats in medical colleges in Vidarbha. The Vidarbha Statutory Development Board had put this backlog as 140 seats and thus 40 seats were granted to IGMCH and 50 to Vasantrao Naik Medical College, Yavatmal.

Admissions for these provisional seats were undertaken during the last academic session and as per the MCI rules, the medical colleges should have seven beds per student. Also for hundred students, each college department should have one professor, two readers and three lecturers.

The IGMCH had a total 589 beds for its original strength of 60 students. To accommodate the additional strength, the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital required to have at least 700 beds. The State government brought out a GR last month, attaching the Daga Hospital to the IGMCH, so as to procure the extra beds. This government decision was opposed by Dr U S Guhe, Head of Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and Dr Dani, Head of Department of Paediatrics.

The MCI team is also said to havespecifically mentioned the lack of amenities at the college OPD. Sources said, the Dean of the college, Dr Mohanty had requested for additional time to comply with the requirements, but the request was dismissed by the MCI.

YAVATMAL: The 50 provisional seats granted to the Vasantrao Naik Medical College, Yavatmal, is also under threat, as the time limit given to it to comply with the requirements of staff and amenities is coming to an end. Moves are afoot to save these seats and teaching staff from the Government Medical College is being transferred to Yavatmal. However, this move is also being opposed by the GMC staff and three out of the 11 transferred teaching staff, have taken up the new assignment. The other eight have resigned in opposition.