The minister, who met top officials of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare including its secretary K Chandramouli and Medical Council of India (MCI) chairman K K Talwar here, told reporters that the state had requested the Centre to consider its plea to grant immediate renewal to five medical colleges with 100 seats each and increase in the intake of additional 200 seats in old state-run medical colleges during this academic year (2011-12).
He also expressed confidence that the MCI will consider the state’s request to enhance the seats at the earliest to enable it to start CET counseling from June 20 without any glitch. With the state government preparing to begin its first round of CET counseling from June 20 to 22, there was an apprehension that nearly 700 seats will be missing due to delays in getting the MCI nod for increase in intake as well as renewal of state government-run medical colleges. “Both MCI and the Health Ministry officials have promised to convene a special meeting on Thursday to examine Karnataka’s request,” Ramdas said.
Though the Department of Medical Education had announced its seat matrix on June 11, a fresh seat matrix would be issued on June 19, he said. According to MCI regulations, medical colleges have to get permission every year to admit a new batch. The five colleges in Karnataka which come under this category were: Mandya, Hassan, Shimoga, Bidar, Raichur medical colleges with 100 seats each.
The colleges which sought an increase in intake are: Bangalore Medical College ( from 150 seats to 250 seats), Bellary Medical College (from 100 to 150 seats) and Mysore Medical College ( from 100 to 150seats).
