doubts over KMC getting additional 50 MBBS seats

James Edwin Warangal: In the wake of the proposed visit by Medical Council Of India (MCI) team to Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) in the town, doubts arise over the fate of sanction of additional 50 MBBS seats.A The Medical Council of India team is expected to visit the college during the first week of April to examine the availability of required facilities at the college to sanction additional seats. It might be noted that the MCI has refused to sanction additional MBBS seats for the previous academic year on the pretext of several shortcomings at KMC. The college has five teaching hospitals Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH), CKM Hospital, Government Maternity Hospital, TB Hospital and Regional Eye Hospital. The demand for additional MBBS seats has gained momentum during the last year and yet the State Government has done nothing to convince the MCI for the sanction of seats except giving an undertaking to the High Court that the shortcomings would be addressed by 2013-14 academic year. The works were estimated at Rs 40 cr. Last time during its visit in October 2012, the MCI pointed out infrastructural deficiencies such as lack of seminar halls, non-purchasing of post-graduate teaching aids in microbiology department, non-increasing of teaching and seminar facilities in MGM teaching hospital's General Surgery Department and others. It is being doubted whether the works could be completed at the KMC and affiliated hospitals before the arrival of the MCI team. It was alleged that AP Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation failed to act promptly to execute the works worth Rs 40 cr. However Director of Medical Education (Academics) Dr. Achanta Vivekananda said that all the pending civil works would be completed prior to the visit of MCI inspection team in April.