Karnataka to get 3 more medical colleges

Home to the highest number of medical colleges in the country, Karnataka is likely to get three more government medical colleges for the academic year 2021-22. Keeping in mind the district-wise coverage of medical colleges, the state department of medical education is preparing to set up three new government medical colleges at Udupi, Ramanagaram and Bengaluru Rural districts.

Though Karnataka already has 40 medical colleges, they are not uniformly distributed with several districts lacking the facility. Barring Udupi, Ramanagaram and Bengaluru Rural, all other districts have medical colleges run by either the Union or state government or private bodies.

Confirming the move, Deputy Chief Minister and Medical Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan told DH that the government is hopeful of getting permission to run these colleges for the 2021-22 academic year.

“Our aim is to set up medical colleges in every district. If you look at the distribution of medical colleges, only these three districts lack the facility. We are preparing a proposal to get permission to run these colleges for the 2021-22 academic year,” the DyCM explained.

According to sources in the medical education department, the colleges that had been approved previously such as Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur, Haveri and Yadgir districts are expected to commence from the 2020-21 academic year from a temporary set-up.

“Once the Medical Council of India (MCI) gives its consent for the infrastructure, the state will get additional 600 medical seats by the 2020-21 academic year,” an official clarified.

The state government had courted a controversy following its decision to shift the sanctioned medical college from Ramanagaram to Chikkaballapur a few months ago. In fact, the decision led to a bitter political tiff between Congress leader D K Shivakumar and Chikkaballapur MLA Sudhakar.

However, by deciding to submit a fresh proposal to set up a new college in Ramanagaram, the government appears to have succeeded in putting an end to the bitter politics over medical colleges.