Hyderabad: The issue of extra medical seats, 350 for Andhra Pradesh and 100 for Telangana is worsening with the health administration claiming that these seats are lost for the academic year 2014-2015.
The medical academic year begins in September every year and the main problem in both states is increasing the number of professors. Medical colleges in AP face a shortage of 500 associate professors, while in Telangana, 150 are needed.
A senior officer in the Directorate of Medical Education said, “There have not been promotions for a long time. We now have to wait for the Kamal Nath Committee report. In the meantime, classes will begin for the next academic year. Hence, this year, getting those seats is a difficult proposition.
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The Medical Council of India had made it very clear that the infrastructure facilities in terms of lecture halls and hostels for students needed to be enhanced if the seats were to be increased. This has not been done. A senior professor said, “Earlier, we were attending to 100 students in lecture halls and later, to 150. We did not know how much the students grasped. One lecturer cannot pay attention to so many students. We need to divide the students and for that we need professors.”
This is the MCI’s main intention as the quality of doctors is deteriorating due to the burden on a single professor to manage so many students. Many students find it difficult to cope with the existing methodology of teaching.
A senior professor said, “Both governments need to consider the issue of medical seats. The shortage in faculty must be set right by October 2014, as that was the main contention of MCI. There will again be an inspection in November. If this issue is not sorted out before that, then seats for the academic year 2015-16 are also doubtful.”
