Another 100 medical seats cut

TT, Calcutta, May 31: Bengal will lose another 100 medical seats in the next academic season, with the Medical Council of India (MCI) barring a private college in Haldia from admitting students to its MBBS course.

ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, run by an NGO headed by expelled CPM leader Lakshman Seth, has been directed by the MCI not to admit students for the 2014-15 academic year, apparently because of a lack of teachers and infrastructure.

The college has 100 seats. Students who are studying at the institute will, however, be allowed to finish their course.

Earlier this year, the MCI had slashed the number of medical seats in Bengal from 2,200 to 1,550 for the state’s failure to comply with infrastructure and manpower norms.

The three new state-run medical colleges in Kamarhati, Malda and Murshidabad have been found to be short of beds, teachers, paramedics and OPD rooms, sources said.

Admissions will begin in June-end.

Chinmoy Saha, the administrative officer of ICARE Institute of Medical Science and Research, Haldia, said today: “The council visited our college on April 11 and 12 to take stock of the infrastructure. We saw on the council website that about a week ago, renewal (of permission to admit students) has been put on hold. We are yet to know the reasons. We are hopeful that the seats will be restored.”