National Medical Commission, the new body that has taken over after the ouster of Medical Council of India has cut down the Post Graduate medical seats in Maharashtra by 107. Of the total 107 seats, Vidarbha will be losing 15 PG seats. This will surely affect the medical sector as in medical colleges PG seats play an important role. In recent times due to not having PG department, several heads have either left the institutions or applied under Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). This exodus of medical teachers will have the larger impact on medical education in toto. Of the 15 PG seats that the medical colleges in Vidarbha lost include Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH)-9, Government Medical College, Akola- 2 and Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Medical College, Amravati- 4. IGGMCH has 12 PG seats in Medicine, but it will be losing 6 seats while in Ophthalmology the seats will be reduced to 2 from 5. In GMC, Akola no seat got approval out of existing two.
In a letter written by Maharashtra University of Health Sciences to Director of Medical Education states, ‘As per the state Government directives the university has finalized seat matrix of PG seats for admission process o academic year 2021-22 as per the information furnished by the respective colleges. The PG seats few Government colleges, corporation and private medical colleges are not permitted to be filled for academic year 2021-22 by the National Medical Commission (NMC) by pointing out certain deficiencies to the National Medical Commission for its consideration. However there is no further communication from the NMC to regularise the Post Graduate seats.’ The letter further points out, ‘There is already an acute shortage of medical professionals in this current pandemic.
Against that backdrop if PG seats are decreased it would affect adversely to the state. Due to shortage of PG teachers, certain PG seats at Government, Corporation medical colleges need to be deducted in view of teachers: students ratio guidelines of NMC.’ MUHS has urges Directorate of Medical Education and Drugs Department to take up the matter with NMC. It has also made it clear that the respective medical colleges have submitted their compliance report to NMC so that no Post Graduate seats are deducted in State. Shekhar Sawarbandhe, ex-Deputy Mayor has made a scathing attack on NMC. He called the decision as strange.
He alleged that NMC has deliberately reduced the available Post Graduate seats in Maharashtra for 2021 for medical students who are working day and night in hospitals to save lives in these difficult times, as medical services are inadequate across the country. Sawarbandhe while said, “Last year, in 2020, there were 4,922 seats available for students to get admission in Maharashtra by passing the PG NEET examination.” The Commission, without considering it, took unilateral action and informed the MUHS, that the vacancies had been reduced and that this year’s admissions would be made accordingly. MSMTA Secretary Dr. Sameer Golawar too has opposed the decision and appealed the department to have a personal look into the matter
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