Following dispute between teachers and college management over perks and benefits, the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) has scrapped 25 of the 100 MBBS seats of Janaki Medical College for 2012/13.

This is the first time the council scrapped this many seats of a private college as punishment. NMC while scrapping the seats also cited inadequate faculty teachers and infrastructure in the college.

This has caused the college to lose Rs 100 million [Rs 4 million on an average per student]. NMC said the decision to scrap the seats was taken as recommended by an investigation team.

"The full house of the council has decided to scrap 25 MBBS seats of the collage," NMC Chairman Dr Damodar Gajurel said. The investigation team comprised representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Population, Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The dispute started about three months ago after the teachers demanded better pay, perks and infrastructure including medical equipment at the college. The 23 faculty teachers in the college jointly tendered resignation after the management did not heed their demands. But the management sanctioned the resignation immediately and the matter was reported to NMC.

IOM Dean Dr Arun Sayami said the dispute was even reported to President Ram Baran Yadav. It is learnt that the proprietor of the medical college, Hukum Dev, was a classmate of the president.

The college is also located near the president´s house in Dhanusha. "The president called us to his residence told us to resolve the dispute amicably," Dr Sayami said. The college is affiliated to Tribhuvan University.

Dr Gajurel said NMC probe found the college did not meet teachers and infrastructure requirement to enrol 100 MBBS students. As per NMC rules, the college should be running 600-bed hospital and 70 percent occupancy is a must. "We found the college´s hospital did not have required seats. A 300-bed hospital is a must to run a medical college with 50 MBBS students.

Dr Sashi Sharma, NMC vice chairman, said the council can review its decision if the college fulfilled the requirements.

IOM Dean Dr Sayami said of the TU-affiliated seven medical colleges, Janaki´s performance at NMC exams is poorest. NMC is an autonomous that issues doctor licenses.

The college has meanwhile said the dispute between management and faculty doctors has been resolved and it will improve its infrastructure as per NMC recommendations. "Of the 23 faculty teachers who had resigned, 13 have returned to work," said Deepak Baral, liaison officer at the college.

source: republica, 16 April 2012