NMC grants 5-yr recognition to 2 Tamil Nadu med colleges

Chennai: Two Tamil Nadu institutions Chennai-based Stanley Medical College and Hospital, and Dharmapuri Government Medical College and Hospital have been granted five-year recognition by the National Medical Commission (NMC), a month after the undergraduate board withdrew permission for deficiencies in Aadhaar-based biometric attendance for faculty and CCTV footage. The commission has said the state-run K A P Viswanathan Government Medical College in Trichy will also receive rcognition, but written orders are still awaited, health minister Ma Subramanian told TOI on Saturday.

"We will be able to continue MBBS admissions in these colleges. 500 MBBS seats from these colleges will be on the seat matrix. Government medical colleges not only offer courses for low fees, but are rich in clinical material, and have experienced faculty. Seats in these institutions are the most sought after, and we ensured we don't let down medical aspirants in Tamil Nadu," he told TOI.

Puducherry chief minister N Rangasamy also issued a press release stating that the apex body in medical education has also given recognition to Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute for the next five years. "In the order, NMC has instructed us to adhere to the Aadhar-based biometric attendance system and ensure all CCTV cameras offer live feed to the commission. They have asked us to analyse daily foot falls and update the hospital management information systems every day," said a senior doctor.

Last month, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission withdrew the recognition for three state-run medical colleges in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry following deficiencies. The board, however, allowed these government institutes to appeal before the National Medical Commission against its decision. The state ordered the directorate of medical education to file an appeal after clearing the deficiencies. "The deficiencies quoted were very small and could be rectified by the government in less than a day. We feel that withdrawal of recognition was too much for this," Subramanian said.

The directorate of medical education will soon conduct counselling for promotion to the post of nearly 1,000 professors and associate professors so vacancies from 2021 are filled and updated in the Aadhar-based biometric attendance. Colleges have also been told to nominate a person to update the attendance of staff who are on leave or outdoor duty on the biometric system. "We always have physical copies of attendance and leave letters. But NMC wants faculty absence to be registered on these machines. We will get it done," a senior official said.