As protests against the re-allotment of students of Sardar Rajas Medical College is gaining momentum, Priya Abraham of The Telegraph takes a look at the shortage of medical seats in government institutes that ultimately pushes aspirants to end up taking admissions in sub-standard institutions

Slash in seats

This year, the total number of MBBS seats in the state stood at 900 - 150 less than what it was in 2014-15 (550 in three government medical colleges and 350 in three private medical colleges).

Though the state has three private medical colleges, the Medical Council of India (MCI) had slashed the seats of two of these institutes for this academic year. While 50 seats of the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences were slashed, the Hitech Medical College in Rourkela lost 100 seats. "Preparing for a medical seat is not only years of hard work, but also expenses incurred due to paying huge fee at coaching institutes. Any average student will prefer admission to a college like Sardar Rajas to wasting another year. The state must do something to open more MBBS seats, so that students like us do not suffer from embarrassment," said Rajas student Sonam Pattjoshi.

Govt efforts

Since 2012-13, the state government has been trying to increase MBBS seats at the VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Burla and the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur from 150 to 250, each. However, the MCI has denied permission, citing lack of infrastructure and faculty.

Students' take

Students are opposing the admission of Rajas students at the MKCG college and the VSS institute. The MCI and Orissa High Court have also questioned the logic behind shifting the students to those institutions already reeling from infrastructure problem. They argued that when the MCI had been rejecting the proposal of seat-increase citing poor set-up and inadequate manpower, how could they order admission in those institutes. The students said they would face problem in classrooms, labs as well as hostels if more students were brought in. Similarly, those protesting at the Hitech Medical College are demanding that government seats should be allocated to the deserving candidates according to the merit in NEET-2013, as they had better ranks than their counterparts at the Rajas.

Central nod

In July, Union health minister J.P. Nadda, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, had informed that the Centre had approved the state government's proposal to increase the MBBS seats to 200 in the two medical colleges under the centrally-sponsored scheme. However, no funds are available under the scheme this year. The Centre has approved 21 proposals, including two from Odisha.

More colleges

For Odisha, the funding will be in the ratio of 70 per cent by the Centre and 30 per cent by the state. This apart, five new medical colleges attached to district headquarters hospitals will come up in Puri, Balasore, Balangir, Baripada and Koraput with 100 MBBS seats each. Foundation stones for the colleges in Puri and Baripada have already been laid.

Agitation

The agitation over the state government's move to admit Rajas students took at new turn at the MKCG college after a rift developed between two groups of students. While one group of students, who had discussed the issue with the health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak last Friday, insisted on withdrawing the agitation, another group opposed it and decided to continue with the protest.

Berhampur police superintendent Sarthak Sarangi said the two groups clashed in the auditorium and the hostel No. 1 of the MKCG college yesterday. "One group has lodged a complaint against five students belonging to the other group for alleged assault. Their rivals also lodged a counter case after seven hours. But, they have not submitted the injury report and we are yet to register the counter case," he said without naming any student.<>The police have been deployed on the campus and in the hostel to avoid any untoward incident, he said. Though one group still sits on a dharna under the portico of the MKCG college, they have allowed indoor patients to get blood samples tested at the microbiology and pathology laboratories. The principal's office and that of the dean are also open.