From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 14: The Centre has approved Karnataka’s proposal for raising the MBBS seats and has also sanctioned an additional intake of 350 Post-Graduate seats in all the Government Medical Colleges in the State.
Consequently, the number of MBBS seats in the 10 Government-run Medical Colleges in the State will go up from 1,100 to 1,600 from the coming year, according to Karnataka Medical Education Minsiter S A Ramdas.
The minister, who returned from attending a two-day conference of health and medical education ministers in Hyderabad, said 100 additional PG seats have been allotted for the first time in six government medical colleges in Mandya, Belgaum, Hassan, Shimoga, Raichur and Bidar, and 250 more in other four medical colleges.
Karnataka’s Government-run Medical Colleges will now be able to offer a total of 694 PG seats, he said.
Ramdas said the government’s suggestion to conduct examination in MBBS after four-and-half-years and then undergo a mandatory one year internship in rural areas was accepted by the Centre, which would now amend the Medical Council of India curriculum in this regard to be applicable to the entire country.
The minister said the Centre had also agreed to upgrade the Tuberculosis SDS Sanatorium and Chest Diseases Hospital of Bangalore into a national institute. The state government would be preparing a detailed project report and also provide a seed money of 10 per cent, he said.
The government has submitted proposals for establishment of para-medical institutions and starting para-medical courses in medical colleges to the Centre. Similarly, proposals on establishment of ANM and GNM schools have also been submitted to the Centre, Ramdas said.
Kolar and Shimoga districts were among the 100 districts in the country where diabetic patients can take medical check-ups and cancer patients can undergo operations free of cost and the facility will be provided to patients even in the private hospitals.
A pilot project would be launched in two districts during the 12th Five Year Plan and the medical expenditure would be borne by the Central Government, he said.
In the 12th Five Year Plan, all medical colleges will start mental health courses. The Centre would give a grant of Rs 1.5 crore each for these medical colleges, he added.