KL Report
Srinagar
In a significant development the Central government Tuesday accepted proposal of the State Government to increase the intake capacity of medical colleges in the state which would be applicable from this year’s academic session.
According to GNS, the intake capacity of Government Medical Colleges of Srinagar and Jammu has been increased from 100 to 150 and that of SKIMS Medical College, Bemina from 50 to 100.
The hike in the intake capacity of these colleges had become necessary as the State is facing a shortage of qualified medicos due to the expansion of health infrastructure, more so in rural and hilly areas. Also the intake capacity of the GMCs was fixed some 40 years ago after which it was never reviewed.
Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services & Sports Taj Mohi ud Din immediately after taking over, had proposed to increase the seats in medical colleges of the State to meet the demand of qualified medicos. The State Government took the proposal to Centre with all seriousness to get it approved.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad also pushed for the same demand and today after many decades the seats of medical colleges in the State were increased from 250 to 400 and it would have effect from current year only.
Medical faculty of both the GMCs including some retired senior doctors, students of the colleges, aspirants and medical fraternity in general have hailed such move. They expressed their gratitude to Taj Mohi ud Din for having initiated this bold move, despite all odds.
