Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) has completed the infrastructure required to accommodate over 300 students. It now awaits the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) inspection report renewing permission for 150 MBBS seats for the 2016-17 academic year.
Three gallery type lecture halls – two with a seating capacity of 300 each and one that can accommodate 350 – and a new girls’ hostel with 104 rooms have been commissioned.
A new spacious auditorium-cum-examination hall, GMCH Dean Dr Pradeep Naik said is expected to be complete by month-end. “The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation has assured to complete and hand over the hall by the month-end. It will be commissioned thereafter,” he stated.
Earlier this year, after several days of speculation that seats at the medical college could be brought down to 100 from 150 owing to a shortage of facilities, MCI had finally accorded permission to go-ahead the additional 50 provisional seats for this academic year.
MCI had granted approval for the previous three academic years – 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 – but had raised questions about the college’s limited infrastructure for the current year. The State had then assured to complete the facilities before the commencement of academic year on September 1, following which permission was renewed.
With the fourth batch of increased seats for the MBBS degree course ongoing, a MCI team inspected the facilities in connection with the renewal of permission for the academic year 2016-17. Dr Naik said they are optimistic of receiving the approval.
“We hope to get renewal for the fifth MBBS batch for next academic year as well as permanent recognition. The campus is ready with all the facilities to accommodate more than the existing number of students. If the government, in future decides to further increase the seats, we are ready with the infrastructure,” he said.
Once it is accorded permission, the college premises will undergo a final recognition inspection in October 2016 that will decide permanent approval for 150 seats. The inspection is tentatively scheduled on October 7-8, 2016.
