The NMC received a letter from the office of the DME, Andhra Pradesh stating that Dr YSR Government Medical College Pulivendula is not in a position to offer the infrastructure facilities completely for the upcoming students, due to delay in the execution of works.
Published Sep 14, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 14, 2024 | 7:00 AM
YSR Government Medical College in Pulivendula, YSR Kadapa district. (Sumit Jha/South First)
On 9 September, the National Medical Commission (NMC) released the list of 44 new medical colleges that were given permission to start the new batch of MBBS courses.
In the list, there are two names of the institutions from Andhra Pradesh — the institutions granted permission to begin offering MBBS courses are YSR Government Medical College in Pulivendula, YSR Kadapa district, and Government Medical College in Paderu.
However, within two days of this news, NMC released another notice which stated that the YSR Government Medical College in Pulivendula decided to withdraw the permission on 11 September.
The Director of Medical Education(DME) of Andhra Pradesh asked NMC not to consider the medical college admissions in this academic year, 2024-25.
It should be mentioned that Pulivendula is the constituency of former chief minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and it was during his tenure that the government decided to set up a medical college there.
However, he lost the election and TDP is currently ruling the state.
NMC in its notice on 11 September said that Dr YSR Government Medical College Pulivendula had submitted its application for the establishment of a new UG Medical College for the Academic Year 2024-25.
After the decision taken by the First Appeal Committee of this Commission, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) granted the Letter of Permission dated 16 August, 2024 for the establishment of a new Medical College with 50 MBBS Seats at Dr YSR Government Medical College Pulivendula.
“Meanwhile, the NMC has received a letter dated 10 September, 2024 from the office of the DME, Andhra Pradesh stating that Dr YSR Government Medical College Pulivendula is not in a position to offer the infrastructure facilities completely for the upcoming students, due to delay in the execution of works. Hence, requested NMC, not to consider admissions in this academic year 2024-25,” NMC said in its notice.
It further added that because of the aforesaid request of DME, Andhra Pradesh, Medical and Assessment Rating Board (MARB), NMC has decided to withdraw the Letter of Permission (LoP) dated 16 August 2024 issued to Dr YSR Government Medical College Pulivendula for the Academic Year (AY) 2024-25.
“Accordingly, the Letter of Permission issued to the College is hereby withdrawn with immediate effecet. The DME, Andhra Pradesh is requested not to allocate any student to this college,” said the NMC.
“On inspection of availability of faculty and required infrastructure, National Medical Council (NMC) refused to allow admissions in the second batch of five medical colleges including in Pulivendula on account of serious shortages in faculty and infrastructure. Why were you sleeping so long if you were really keen in opening new medical colleges? Contractors were not paid for the works done for the last one year by your government and they have stopped further works. Some of them have even begun to withdraw their machines from worksites. Is this the seriousness with which any government goes about setting up medical colleges for the benefit of students?” Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav had said in a statement on 28 August, criticising the previous government.
The Andhra Pradesh government submitted applications for the establishment of six medical colleges but received approval for only two institutions, each with 50 seats.
Government Medical College in Amravati, Government Medical College in Annamayya, Government Medical College in Adoni, and Government Medical College in Prakasam did not receive approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) this year.
On 24 June, an NMC inspection revealed significant deficiencies in faculty and infrastructure at newly established medical colleges, attributed to the previous YSRCP government’s rushed and flawed planning.
Tender agreements for these colleges were delayed, leaving insufficient time for necessary civil works: Agreements for Markapur and Madanapalle were signed in February 2023, Adoni and Pulivendula in December 2022, and Paderu in June 2021. Engineers from the Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC) estimate that major civil works typically require at least 30 months to complete.
Of the ₹2,425 crore allocated for these colleges, only ₹533 crore (22%) has been utilised, with ₹188 crore in payments pending since July 2023, constructions were halted. Notably, expenditure is as low as 6 percent for Madanapalle, 10 percent for Markapur and Adoni, and somewhat better at 23 percent for Paderu and 58 percent for Pulivendula.
The previous government allegedly failed to release ₹198 crore from Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and Special Assistance for Capital Investment (SACI), contributing to the slow progress.
The new administration, which took office on 12 June attributed these issues to the former government’s mismanagement.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
