Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences

Patna, April 5: Medical aspirants take heart. You may get one more college to pursue your dream course in the state capital as there are chances of a medical college being set up on the premises of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS).

Sources said the Medical Council of India (MCI) completed a two-day inspection of IGIMS on Monday and sent its report to the MCI headquarters in New Delhi.

IGIMS director Dr Arun Kumar told The Telegraph: “There are good chances of the MCI report being positive. I cannot comment on what is there in the MCI report. But there are chances that it will accept our application for setting up a medical college in the health hub.”

If the permission is granted, it will be the seventh functional government-run medical college in the state.

“The report will be sent to the Union ministry of health. Once the college is established, funding from the state government will provide the upgrade of the infrastructure,” added Dr Kumar.

Sources said the hospital had applied for taking in 100 students in the next academic session. According to the MCI regulations, at least 25 acre of land and recognition from the University Grants Commission are mandatory for setting up a medical college. It also needs adequate number of medical employees, which the hospital already has. Sources said the hospital plans to upgrade itself to a 500-bed hospital — a must for a medical college with 100 students.

“A couple of years ago, we had prepared a detailed plan with the help of a private consultant to upgrade the facility. According to the report, we need 500 more beds, outpatients’ department, intensive care unit and a number of other facilities. The project would cost around Rs 500,” said a senior IGIMS official.

He added: “The government is yet to sanction the proposal. But if the medical college were set up, the facilities would have to be upgraded within a year. Else, the recognition will be cancelled.”