Medical colleges issue rises heat in Pondy Assembly

Puducherry, Apr 20 (UNI) The functioning of private medical colleges in the union territory once again came up for heated arguments in the Territorial Assembly today.

Replying to a question, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said three private medical colleges had sought NOC from the government to enhance the number of medical seats and a government committee had inspected it on three different dates.

It recommended the increase in seats in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Vinayaga Mission Medical College. Following this, the administration gave the NOC to enhance the number of seats from 100 to 150.

The government could give only NOC and it was up to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to decide on giving the permission for the enhancement. The administration was taking steps to obtain 50 per cent seats in all the colleges this year.

AIADMK Member A Anbazhagan and DMK Member R Siva locked horns with the chief minister on the grant of NOC to a college which had been converted into a deemed university and allegedly not heeded to any request of the government in seat allocation last year.

Mr K Lakshminarayanan (PMC) wanted the government to initiate action against the erring colleges and Leader of the Opposition A M H Nazeem suggested the government should have signed an agreement for 50 per cent seats before granting the NOC.

Mr Rangasamy said the administration would take all possible steps to control the functioning of the private colleges here.

UNI