Date:02/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/02/stories/2005120207530500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Court directs MCI to inspect medical college

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to inspect afresh the Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital in Chitradurga and place before it on December 13 a status report on the facilities available. Several students of the college, who had been admitted in the 2001-02 batch, had petitioned the court to direct the authorities to transfer them from the college to any other recognised institution in the State.

The students had been admitted to the medical course through the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell. However, the Centre had derecognised the college and the students apprehended that their degrees would not be recognised by the MCI. They wanted to be transferred to any other recognised medical college so that they could appear for the MBBS examination in March 2006.

The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) had filed a memo giving the vacancy position in medical colleges.

The MCI, however, disputed this. Advocate-General B.T. Parthasarathy said the question of the State taking over the responsibility of providing infrastructure in other colleges to accommodate the students by creating additional capacity will not arise.

Justice N. Kumar, in his interim order, said the Union and State governments, MCI and RGUHS had an obligation to protect the interest of students who have secured a seat on merit and admitted on the basis of allotment by the State.

Justice Kumar also directed the MCI to inspect the college on December 7 and submit a status report to the court. He directed the Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS to be present on the date of inspection.

He adjourned further hearing on the matter to December 13.