Funding delay costs 500 extra medical seats

HYDERABAD: The state government’s delay in releasing funds for developing infrastructure in medical colleges in accordance with additional 50 seats in 10 government colleges from this academic year, cost 500 additional seats to the state. According to officials in the medical education department, the Medical Council of India (MCI) officials inspected seven medical colleges so far out of the 10 for  which the state government sought 50 additional medical seats. However, the MCI  rejected the state’s proposal to enhance seats in all these seven colleges on various grounds like inadequate infrastructure facilties and staff.The MCI team is yet to inspect three of the 10 colleges which includes Rangaraya  Medical College in Kaikinada, Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad and Kurnool Medical College.Last year, the medical education department had sought additional 50 seats in each of the 10 government medical colleges by paying the required fee and the MCI had  approved the state’s request.In turn the state government was asked to improve the infrastructure in these colleges like constructing libraries, seminar halls, laboratories and increasing the bed strength. As the state government failed to release Rs 79 crore to medical education department despite giving the administrative sanction, the state lost the additional number of 500 seats. It is learnt that some colleges have no adequate staff required for the increased seats. Though the medical education deppartment was ready to give promotions to fill up all the posts, many of the teachers were locked in legal tangles about the seniority.