The chances of Osmania, Gandhi and Kakatiya medical colleges securing additional MBBS seats for this year (2012-13) look remote. The government has been lobbying hard with the Medical Council of India to secure 50 additional seats each in these three prominent government medical colleges in the backdrop of blistering attack from Telangana leaders, who are accusing the government of showing partisan attitude towards the region. However, the MCI has not given any assurance to officials of state medical education department over an increase in the number of seats.
On Saturday, officials of the state medical education department had approac-hed the MCI in Delhi, along with medical education minister Kondru Murali. The principals of Osmania and Gandhi medical colleges also accompanied the minister to argue the case with MCI for an increase in seats. With the issue taking ‘Telangana-colour’ and lea-ders accusing the state government of being biased by ensuring an increase of seats only in three government colleges located in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, the government has stepped up efforts to pursue the case again with the MCI.
However, the lobbying by Mr Murali on Saturday did not fetch any positive response from the MCI, which made it clear that the deadline for giving fresh approvals for this year has already ended on June 30. It pointed out that the deadline was already exte-nded from June 15 to June 30 and it cannot be extended further at this stage. With this, the minister and officials have now pinned their hopes on Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who has assured to take up the issue with the Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The officials are hopeful that the CM may succeed in getting additional seats at this stage and to cool down tempers over issue.