punjab

Updated: Dec 14, 2017 09:44 IST

The Union health ministry has given its clearance to the Punjab government to shift 249 MBBS students who had enrolled at the Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot, to other medical colleges in the state.

Following the clearance, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot will conduct a counselling for these students (of 2014 and 2016 batch) on December 18 (Monday) at the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College in Faridkot.

College took 1st admission in 2011; ran without MCI approval The college started admissions in 2011, in spite of the fact that the regulator for medical education, the Medical Council of Indian (MCI), never granted it the mandatory approvals. The college failed to get due recognition for 2012-13 and 2013-14 sessions due to deficiencies in facilities. The college was granted permission to enrol second batch in 2014-15 after intervention by Supreme Court.

The 2011 batch of students had earlier moved the Punjab and Haryana high court and have since long been shifted to other colleges. Students of 2014 and 2016 batches, however, faced a bleak future. These students moved the high court on April 26, 2016, seeking to shift to other colleges in the state claiming that their institute is ‘short of infrastructure’.

However, the HC order of September 8, 2017, where it directed the state government to shift all students of 2014 batch of the college to other medical colleges across the state within two months came as relief for them.

The students of 2014 MBBS batch will be shifted to government medical colleges at Patiala, Faridkot and Amritsar. The 2016 batch students will be shifted to any of the medical colleges across the state, including private institutes, as was done in the case of Gian Sagar College.

College shut since November

The college, owned by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swaran Salaria, was shut since November 4 when the Punjab government withdrew its essentiality certificate. The ministry’s decision brings immense relief to students and parents who had been protesting in Delhi since Monday, seeking the clearance.

On September 8, the Punjab and Haryana high court had directed the state government to shift all students of 2014 batch of the college to other medical colleges across the state within two months, as the college had failed to meet the standards set by the Medical Council of India.

“The ministry has granted approval for shifting and the matter has been communicated to the state government,” DVK Rao, undersecretary, health ministry told HT. MCI secretary Reena Nayyar also confirmed the development to HT.

Dr Sushil Garg, president, Chintpurni Medical College Parents Association, confirmed the development, and said, “It has been a victory for students and is the result of collective efforts of all stakeholders.”

A student Rohan (name changed) said, “We are happy at the approval and request the state government to shift us soon. We will make a fresh start in our careers.”

Before decision, 30 students detained, released after four hours

The Delhi Police, on Wednesday, detained 30 protesting students, including 12 girls, at the Mandir Marg police station in the capital after picking them up from near Nirman Bhawan. They were released after four hours.

Around 250 students had been protesting in New Delhi since Monday, seeking clearance of the Union health ministry to be shifted to other medical colleges in Punjab.