VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 10: The state cabinet today decided to accord university status to the VSS Medical College in Burla.

The college will now enjoy autonomy in administration, finance and academics. The medical college will now be known as Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research.

State health secretary Pradeep Mohapatra said: “A governing body will be constituted under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to look into the management of the medical college. A chief executive officer will be appointed to look after the day-to-day management of the medical college.”

Citing reasons to accord the autonomous status, Mohapatra said large-scale vacancy of doctors has affected the functioning of the medical colleges of the state.

“Even if we are posting doctors to the medical colleges, they do not go there, creating problem for the very functioning of the medical colleges. Hence, the medical college will recruit its own staff now. Those, who will be recruited now, will retire from their job from the same medical college. A number of vacant posts can therefore be filled this way,” sid Mohapatra.

However, the government clarified that quality in the recruitment of teachers and doctors would not be compromised with.

The state government will also make additional budget for the medical college to make its functioning viable. It will be the first medical college of the state to get the autonomous status.

“We have not yet thought of according the same status to other medical colleges as they are not facing similar problems,” said the health secretary.

This is the third major move by the state government pertaining to western Odisha after according corporation status to Rourkela and Sambalpur municipalities to assuage the sentiments of the local people who are demanding establishment of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court in their area.

The state also decided to recruit more dental surgeons.

“At present, we have 31 dental surgeons in the state. We have decided to recruit 200 more dental surgeons. The Orissa Public Service Commission will be requested to initiate steps in this regard,” said a senior official.