Patna: Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) has written a letter to Union health ministry accusing the Medical Council of India (MCI) of discrepancies in granting permission to super-speciality courses in government medical colleges in Bihar.

The MCI hasn't granted permission to start super-speciality courses at IGIMS, while it granted permission to private medical colleges in Bihar and other states.

The IGIMS has been refused permission to start Doctorate of Medicine (DM), Master of Surgery (MS), Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Chirurgical (MCh) on improper grounds. Institute director N.R. Biswas has met Union health minister J.P. Nadda to apprise him about the matter.

The MCI has refused permission to the IGIMS to start DM courses in neurology, nephrology and cardiology, MCh course in paediatric surgery, neuro-surgery and gastro-intestinal surgery. It has also refused permission to MD course in general medicine and preventive and social medicine department, while it has refused permission to start MS course in general surgery, ear, nose and throat, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics and eye department.

"MCI has a saddening attitude towards government medical colleges. It has granted permission to private medical colleges for super-specialty courses even if they are ill-equipped compared to the government ones. We would now apply for super-speciality courses from another board (Diplomate of National Board)," said director Biswas, adding that the institute has spent Rs 50 lakh for applying to the MCI for its inspectors' visits, a mandatory norm before granting nod for seats of various super-speciality courses.

The MCI discrepancy came to the fore after it nodded to super-speciality course in eye in Sasaram-based private Narayani Medical College and super-speciality course in nephrology to Dr DY Patil Medical College in Pune.