CCEA Nod to 4000 more Medical Seats

In the meeting held on 6 February 2014, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave nod to the proposals of increasing the number of postgraduate seats at medical colleges and establishment of a new cancer centre in Kolkata.

The centrally-sponsored scheme aimed to strengthen and upgrade the state government medical colleges and improve health care in India will witness the funding pattern to be 75:25 by Central and state governments respectively. The scheme was launched in 2009-10.

The new scheme to be undertaken at a total expenditure of Rs 1,350 crore shall produce sufficient resources to add 4,000 additional postgraduate medical seats, said an official release.

CCEA during the meet also sanctioned the development of the first phase of the second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, the approximate cost for the infrastructure and other expenses would incur Rs 534 crore, out of which the centre will contribute Rs 400 crore.

The cabinet also passed the decision to build apt infrastructure facilities for burn management and rehabilitation in state government medical colleges. In addition, the government hospitals on national and state highways will also have Trauma Centers.

The MBBS medical course in India spans for a duration of four-and-a-half years followed by one year of Compulsory Rotating Residential Internship (CRRI), after which the medical student can pursue post-graduation course in surgical specialties such as MS or MD and DNB (Highly qualified P.G. and Super specialization).