In a major fillip to medical education sector in Kashmir, Union health ministry has accorded approval to Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar proposal for converting its postgraduate diploma seats into postgraduate degree seats from this academic year.
On Wednesday, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) wrote to GMC Srinagar informing about approval by Medical Council of India (MCI) to convert its 19 PG diploma seats into MD/MS seats. The approval follows application from GMC Srinagar for allowing admission to MD/MS courses in place of existing diploma seats as sought by the medical education regulatory body. As per the letter, the college has been granted permission to add 12 postgraduate seats in gynaecology and obstetrics, six in anesthesia and one seat in ophthalmology respectively.
The development follows MCI’s decision to allow government medical colleges across states to admit students for MD/MS instead of diploma in order to pave way for better availability of specialists.
An official at GMC Srinagar said, Union health Ministry has “already communicated” MCI’s go-ahead for conversion of three diploma seats in the faculty of dermatology into degree seats.
With the fresh approval, 22 new MD/MS seats will be added to the existing pool at GMC Srinagar this academic year.
Principal GMC Srinagar, Prof Samia Rashid said the addition was an anticipated one in the State. “We are happy to get the letter from health ministry and this year, GMC (Srinagar) will have 22 more seats in addition to existing ones,” she said. She added that the college will communicate the seat addition to Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE). “These seats will be added to matrix this year only,” she said.
BOPEE on 20 February declared online registration of NEET qualified candidates open for preparing the state merit list and start the process of admissions.
In the last couple of years, GMC Srinagar has availed union health ministry’s provisions for seat increase better than other medical colleges of the State, a faculty member of the college said. Last year, GMC Srinagar was given permission to add 33 MS/MS seats in various clinical branches taking the total degree seats to 160 at the college. With the addition, GMC Srinagar will have 182 PG seats available to aspirants.
The communication from MoHFW has also restricted the recognition of diploma courses at the medical college for the batches admitted upto 2018-19 only.