Minister justifies semi-autonomy for medical, dental colleges

Hyderabad, Dec 1 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Medical Education Minister G Aruna today maintained that the Congress Government's sole aim of granting semi-autonomy to select medical and dental colleges, was to improve the educational standards for the benefit of students, professors and patients.

Talking to reporters here, Ms Aruna asked the Left parties not to politicise the decision. The Government had no intention to privatise them or shirk any of its responsibility after granting semi-autonomous status, she added.

Even though, the Government was ready to provide pay scales suggested by the University Grants Commission, faculty members of Government medical colleges were switching over to private medical colleges.

The Government intended to attract and retain professors by providing semi-autonomous status for the medical colleges in Srikakulam, Ongole, Adilabad and Kadapa and dental colleges in Vijayawada and Kadapa and develop them on par with Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, she added.

UNI