In a major development, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued show-cause notices to all 22 government medical colleges in Karnataka, citing serious lapses in infrastructure, faculty appointments, and other key regulatory standards.
The move has raised eyebrows across the academic and medical community, especially since even the prestigious Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), widely regarded for its infrastructure and academic excellence, has not been spared.
The NMC flagged issues primarily related to a shortage of qualified faculty members, particularly in newly established government medical colleges in districts such as Koppal, Chickballapur, Chitradurga, and Chikkamagaluru.
The notices listed out a range of deficiencies: poor outpatient numbers, lack of necessary teaching and non-teaching staff, and absence of essential medical equipment in several institutions. These gaps, the NMC stated, violate the minimum standards required for medical education and patient care.
Responding to this, Karnataka’s Minister for Medical Education Dr Sharan Prakash Patil told The Hindu that all government medical colleges in the State have good infrastructure and good equipment. He however admitted that there is a shortage of faculty members in medical colleges that have been started recently. “Earlier, appointments were made in all colleges as per the rules of the NMC Act, 2020. However, the problem is that the NMC has directed that appointments be made as per the 2023 Act,” he said.
He said that the government has already submitted a proposal to the government for the recruitment of faculty members. The Minister said that the state government has stopped all recruitment processes until the internal reservation implementation processes are completed in the State. “Government medical colleges have been allowed to recruit other faculties, including senior residents, on a contract basis. Most of the colleges have completed this recruitment process and replied to NMC’s notice,” the Minister said.
Earlier, on April 25, the NMC had directed all medical colleges that were operating under a Letter of Permission (LoP) to disclose details about their operational facilities, including the number and status of both minor and major operation theatres.
Recently, the NMC issued similar show-cause notices to 34 out of 36 government-run medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, including some of the state’s most prominent ones like Stanley Medical College and Omandurar Medical College. The medical colleges were asked to submit written clarifications within a week’s time.
According to reports, the 34 colleges in question have a shortage of staff in up to 95% of the departments, including the departments of general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, and dermatology.