Nine colleges to raise medical seats to 930

The State government has given its approval to nine medical colleges, including government colleges’ proposal to hike the number of MBBS seats to 930, said Medical Education Minister S A Ramadas on Thursday.

He told reporters that the Medical Education Department has already approached the Medical Council of India seeking its permission in this regard. Of the 930 seats, 680 seats will be for private colleges and 250 seats for the government colleges.

At present, the total number of seats in these colleges stood at 3,218, he added. He said Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology will open its unit at the Mysore Medical College campus, Mysore, in six months. The college has handed over 5,000 sqft of built-up area to the institute for this purpose.

On the controversial appointments in Mysore and Hassan Medical Colleges, the Minister said the government had issued notices to all the candidates to reply within 15 days.

After receiving replies, the government will start the verification process and decision taken will be based on the candidates’ merit, he stated.

Directors will be appointed soon to medical institutions in Bangalore, Raichur, Belgaum, Mysore, Dharwad, Mandya and Hassan as these do not have full-time directors.

Observing that many government medical colleges have not conducted their Governing Council meeting for the last two years, the minister said they have been asked to hold the meeting once in four months, he added.

The Medical Education Department has set up a cell for people to lodge complaints on the services provided in hospitals coming under Government Medical Institutions in the State. Complaints can be lodged on 080-32001111 round-the-clock.