Siliguri, April 10: North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) will offer post-graduate course in paediatrics from the current academic year.

Bengal urban development and municipal affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya announced this after a meeting of the college’s governing body held on the campus today.

“The Medical Council of India (MCI) has given the nod to start an MD course in paediatrics from this year,” said Bhattacharya. “A proposal has been sent to the MCI for a gynaecology course as well. A team from the council will visit the campus before granting permission and we hope to start the course from the next academic year.”

Director of medical education Soumendranath Banerjee, Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad sabhadhipati Mani Thapa, NBMCH principal Udayan Ganguly, hospital superintendent Samir Ghosh Roy and other senior officials attended the meeting.

The Junior Doctors’ Council of the NBMCH submitted a list containing 10 demands to the director of medical education. Some problems faced by the hospital were also mentioned in the memorandum.

Banerjee said a decision has been taken to appoint two more teachers in the departments of paediatrics and orthopaedics. Plans are also afoot to start an intensive care unit in the medical college.

On the technical education in the town, Bhattacharya said new courses would be introduced at Siliguri Polytechnic College and Industrial Training Institute.