65 Bihar medical colleges face MCI axe over irregular admissions

Around 65 post graduate students studying in state-run medical colleges in Bihar, including the premier Patna Medical College (PMC), may be thrown out of their institutes due to the Bihar government’s failure to address an MCI concern in time.

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has directed the institutes to discharge the students, because they were admitted to the colleges after the prescribed last date for admissions, which was July 10, 2014. Any subesquent admission was irregular, according to the MCI.

Despite the date being fixed by the MCI, the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB) conducted counselling of candidates from July 31, 2014 to August 3, 2014 and the selected were asked to take admission by August 8, 2014.

Confirming the receipt of the MCI’s directive, principal of the PMC Dr SN Sinha said he had referred the matter to the government and sought its direction in this regard at the time.

“We have already received two reminders from the MCI asking us for immediate compliance of its directive,” the principal said, adding, “Now, the college has to take a decision.”

As many as 35 PG students of PMC are likely to be expelled

Principal of Darbhanga Medical College Dr RK Sinha said that 1 PG students could be affected. “Over 15 days ago, I informed the government about the MCI directive and sought its direction,” he said.

The principal said, now it was difficult to wait any more or else the college would be fined by the MCI. “We have to take a painful decision and ask the students to leave,” he added.

When approached for his comments, the officer on special duty (OSD) BCECEB Anil Kumar Sinha said, “I shall be able to comment on the matter only after I go through the relevant files.”

According to sources, six students of the Nalanda Medical College, four from Anugrah Narayan Medical College, Gaya, and seven from Jawaharlal medical college, Bhagalpur, may also be asked to leave their respective colleges.

The sources said the colleges concerned had received the MCI’s directive over a couple of months ago. However, surprisingly, the government sat over the matter and apparently failed to take steps to defuse the crisis.

As per the norm, the admission process for PG students in medical colleges should be completed by July 1 every year. In special circumstances, the admission date can be extended by a few days but with the approval of the MCI.

In 2014, July 10 had been fixed as the last date for PG admission. However, the deadline was not followed, and the admissions were taken till August 8.