NMC seeks ATR, Accountability; warns to continue reduction of 8 Seats for Academic Year 2024-25
Jammu Tawi: One year has passed, and still, the Health & Medical Education Department of J&K has failed to fix the accountability of those responsible for the egregious over-admission scandal in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
Last year, GMC Jammu admitted 184 MBBS students against an approved capacity of 180 for the 2022-23 academic year. This gross oversight, under the watch of then Principal and Dean Dr. Shashi Sudhan Sharma, has not only exposed systemic flaws but also jeopardized the futures of countless students. The National Medical Commission, in response to this administrative debacle, took a stringent stand by slashing 8 MBBS seats for GMC Jammu for the 2023-24 academic year. The Commission had also directed to investigate the matter and fix responsibility of person(s) responsible for the blunder failing which the deduction of 8 seats could be continued in the next academic year 2023-24.
Despite the gravity of this blunder, GMC Jammu has miserably failed to respond adequately to the Undergraduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and has not submitted the Action Taken Report.
As per officials of GMC Jammu, the undergraduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission has granted a letter of permission for the Renewal of 180 seats for MBBS for the year 2024-25 in favor of GMC Jammu. GMC officials have conveyed that the restoration of eight seats have been made possible by
It is however praiseworthy that the efforts of the present administration of the GMC Jammu has fortunately convinced the NMC and the barred MBBS seats have reportedly been restored from 172 to 180.
But the question has arising what about those eight seats which were usurped by the national body governing the admissions because neither the GMC Jammu is at loss nor those who committed this error but the ultimate losers were the 8 aspirants who slotted on top of the waiting list.
While granting a letter of permission for the Renewal of 180 seats for MBBS for the year 2024-25 in favor of GMC Jammu, the undergraduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission has directed the Principal GMC Jammu to investigate the matter and fix accountability of person(s) responsible for the blunder, and submit an Action Taken Report in the matter.
Now, the NMC has granted permission for 180 MBBS seats for 2024-25, but with a condition. The Commission has told the Principal of GMC Jammu to investigate the mistake, find out who was responsible, and submit an Action Taken report within a period of 15 days failing which the order of reduction of 8 seats for the academic year 2023-24 will remain effective for the academic year 2024-25 also.
While contacting Principal & Dean of GMC Jammu, Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, he passed the responsibility to the government, stating that senior functionaries need to respond to the blunder identified by the National Medical Commission (NMC). He refused to comment on the Action Taken Report and the formation of a committee to fix accountability for the mistakes made under the regime of former Principal.
The Secretary of the Health Department could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.
Isn't a cruel joke with the youth of the Jammu region at the hands of inefficient and corrupt elements responsible for the aforesaid crime, since the matter is under probe as reportedly the findings of the aforesaid inquiry are still awaited.
