Trichy medical college still awaits nod for 50 MBBS seats

TRICHY: While counselling for MBBS admission still on in Tamil Nadu, the KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College here is awaiting approval of the Medical Council of India (MCI) for 50 additional MBBS seats. Meanwhile, the fate of 50 eligible students is at stake as the first round of counseling draws to a close.

The medical college, which was established in 1997, has been functioning with 100 MBBS seats since the last academic year. In 2013, the number of seats was increased to 150, thus helping many eligible students to join the government medical college. The college has been the third most preferred government medical college in the state in the previous years.

The increase in seats had helped eight students of DD Medical College to join the KAP College after the former was denied approval by the MCI last year.


As per MCI norms, the council will inspect the status of the institution after the completion of first year of the course. A team of doctors from MCI had inspected the college and the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital here to review facilities and faculty. The objective of the inspection was to ascertain if the institution can run the show with 150 MBBS seats.

Nevertheless, the hospital administration is hopeful of getting the MCI nod even before the counselling for MBBS seats began. Sources said that the hospital administration had not expected the delay. It is said the MCI is taking time to approve the additional 50 MBBS seats after coming across discrepancies. Failure to meet MCI norms on facilities may be another factor.

Considering the delay, a team of doctors from the college rushed to the national capital to secure the approval. However, doctors on the condition of anonymity said any further delay in getting the MCI nod will mar the prospects of eligible students.

A doctor said that eligible students opting for this college will miss out on the seat if the approval is delayed as admission counseling is almost over. Priority order will be affected even if the approval is given later. Meanwhile, aspirants for the medical seats at the KAP College are uncertain about their prospects.

Such issues could be resolved if the state government fills the faculty vacancies and infrastructure, said doctors.