OUR BUREAU
LAKHIMPUR/GUWAHATI: In good news for the people of Assam on the onset of the annual Durga Puja, the NMC (National Medical Commission) has accorded its approval to Lakhimpur Medical College (LMC).
The NMC intimated its decision in a letter to the Principal of LMC On October 7. Now it will be the eighth such medical institution in the State.
In response to the approval, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, "In a major milestone for Assam, I'm glad to share that @NMC_IND has approved a new Medical College for Lakhimpur with 100 seats for MBBS. A matter of great personal pride as I see this 8th College, I dreamt of, taking shape. Now, we've 1100 MBBS seats for our children."
Health Minister Keshab Mahanta tweeted, "Glad to share that @LMCHAssam has been approved by NMC to start MBBS course from this session with 100 student intake per year. This will encourage our students and also shall cater for the need of the State.
Minister Mahanta told The Sentinel, "The Assam government is thankful to NMC.
Sources added that the State government will be moving the NMC for approval of two new medical hospitals at Nalbari and Dhubri in the next phase
There will be 100 MBBS seats in the proposed medical college. The State medical college seats have risen to 1,100. The admission process for the 100 seats in the eighth medical college in the State will commence from this academic year.
The other seven medical colleges have 1,000 seats for MBBS students. The GMCH (Gauhati Medical College & Hospital) and AMC (Assam Medical College) in Dibrugarh have 200 seats each; Jorhat, Tezpur, Barpeta, and Silchar medical colleges have 125 each; while the Diphu Medical College has 100 seats for MBBS students.
Mentionably, a team of NMC visited the Lakhimpur Medical College in September this year. But the inspecting team found a 26% shortage of faculties on that day.
Following the refusal, the Assam government submitted a 'Compliance Report' to NMC. After going through the report, the NMC granted its approval to Lakhimpur Medical College.
DME sources informed that sufficient numbers of faculties were on rolls in the Lakhimpur Medical College. At the time of NMC inspection, while a few faculties were absent, some reported late for duty.
OUR LAKHIMPUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS: Citing various deficiencies in the Lakhimpur Medical College, the NMC refused to grant permission to the institution to start the MBBS course from this year.
The MARB (Medical Assessment & Rating Board) of NMC reviewed the Commission Assessor's Report; review and remarks by the expert groups on the infrastructure facilities of the Lakhimpur Medical College, laboratories, library, hostels, hospital and availability of the faculty, their experiences, publications and residents/tutors, nursing and paramedical staff with other facilities available at the college.
During the review, the MARB of NMC observed that Lakhimpur Medical College had a 26% faculty deficiency. Even though the hospital at Lakhimpur Medical College is functional, there was a deficiency of beds. Outdoor and indoor services needed upgradation. The medical college had to acquire a certificate from the 'Atomic Energy Regulatory Board'.
The NMC also observed that construction of all buildings and completion of other facilities such as teaching aids and furniture at the lecture hall at Lakhimpur Medical College was still to be completed.
The MARB of NMC in a letter to the Principal of Lakhimpur Medical College asked the authorities concerned to rectify the deficiencies and create more amenities suitable to start a medical college. That letter also stated that if the rectifications were carried out, the NMC would reconsider its decision.
Thereafter, the authority of the Lakhimpur Medical College had taken the necessary steps to rectify the deficiencies.
In this regard, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta, Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka and MP Pradan Baruah expedited the deficiency-rectification moves.
The Principal of 'Lakhimpur Medical College' again submitted an application to the MARB of NMC requesting the NMC to grant permission to the college authorities to start the Lakhimpur Medical College under the 'Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Science Guwahati'.
After the review, the MARB of MNC has decided to approve 100 MBBS seats to start the Lakhimpur Medical College for the academic year concerned and intimated the decision to the Principal.
Also Watch: