250 Manipal medicos future at stake
Who will be those unlucky 250 students of Manipal to get a gate pass? The future of 250 students at Manipal is at stake as the Union Ministry of Health has asked the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal and Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Mangalore, both affiliated to Manipal University, to halve their 500 admissions for 2008-08. On Monday, Sep 29, the ministry informed the colleges that the last date for the transfer of 250 students is Tuesday, Sep 30.

But the colleges had completed admissions for 500 medical seats on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, as per schedule.

Karnataka nurses problem of extra colleges; closures planned
Karnataka, home to the largest number of nursing colleges in the country, has found itself in the unusual position of an oversupply of the institutions even as the nation faces an acute shortage of healthcare professionals.

At least one institution — New Royal College of Nursing in rural Bangalore — has been shut and a state official says many more closures are planned; up to one-fifth of nursing colleges risk losing affiliation over the next year.

Medical education: 2 dists herald new era
With the Medical Council of India (MCI) giving its green signal, the uncertainty over the commencement of much awaited government medical colleges at Bidar and Raichur has come to an end. The opening of the two medical colleges in public sector has delighted the people of the two districts which will have the benefits in the fields of medical treatment.

Six new medical colleges for Karnataka
Union Health Minister Anbumoni Ramadoss has assured to clear the sanctions to all the six Government medical colleges in Karnataka, paving way for 600 additional seats for the students in these colleges, Karnataka Health Education Minister V S Acharya said here today.

An assurance to this effect was given to a delegation, led by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Health Education Minister and former union minister V Dhananjay Kumar this evening.

251 nursing schools get admission nod
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday permitted 251 nursing schools and 25 nursing colleges to make admissions for the academic year 2007-908. The order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B S Patil. Around 512 nursing schools and colleges had been derecognised due to lack of infrastructure. However, the Karnataka Nursing Council stated in an affidavit that after a meeting it was decided that 251 nursing schools would be granted provisional recognition.

Medical seat fee hike not possible
There is no chance of increasing the government medical seats fees in private colleges, said Medical Education Department Director Ramananda Shetty.

Speaking to reporters he said private medical colleges had put forward a proposal before the government with regard to the fee hike in private medical colleges in view of the hike in teaching faculty‘s payment. The private colleges authority had asked the government to increase the fee from Rs 35,000 to Rs1.35 lakh to bear the loss, he added.

Medical colleges in trouble
The Medical Council of India has recommended de-recognition of three medical colleges in Karnataka from this year. During the executive council meeting of the MCI on March 10, the apex body had decided to withdraw recognition to Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Manipal and Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College in Bangalore as they were found to have insufficient infrastructure and faculty.

Bangalore Medical College to be upgraded on AIIMS lines
The Centre has decided to upgrade Bangalore Medical College on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi with a fund of Rs 100 crore, Karnataka Medical Education Minister V S Acharya said today.

Govt, Comed-K agree on P-G seat-sharing
Paving the way for a smooth P-G medical and dental admissions next year, the state government and Comed-K on Monday agreed to share seats for 2007 admissions. As per the in-principle agreement, Comed-K will give 33% of its seats (both diploma and degree courses) to the state government to be filled under concessional fee category.

Bangalore to get a new medical college: CM
A new medical college will be set up in the city from the next academic year. On Wednesday, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy told reporters that the proposed medical college will come up at Beggars' Colony site on Magadi Road along with the new campus of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health sciences.

All nursing schools in Karnataka to be upgraded to colleges
The Karnataka government is contemplating on upgrading all nursing schools in the State to nursing colleges by 2010, Medical Education Minister V S Acharya said today.

6 medical colleges not ready yet, says MCI
Minister for Medical Education V S Acharya said that the State government would pitch in Rs 20 crore to upgrade the Bangalore Medical College. At a press conference held on Friday, Mr Acharya said that a total of Rs 120 crore, inclusive of the Central funding of Rs 100 crore, would be used to categorise various sections under the frame work to improve five teaching colleges and BMC Dental and Medical Colleges. “Later, we will think of autonomy,” he added.

Revamp RGUHS, governor tells govt
Miffed by the spate of scams in the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), governor T N Chaturvedi has sought a complete revamp of the functioning of the university. Chaturvedi, also chancellor of universities, has not only sought a periodical review of the functioning, but also wants the statutes and rules governing the university to be amended to improve functioning.

10-fold fee hike for post-graduate medical and dental courses
Medical students, be prepared to pay through your nose! The Karnataka government has decided to effect a 10-fold fee hike for post-graduate medical and dental courses in all government colleges for the academic year 2006-'07.

Fake nursing colleges thrive for decades
Fake campus, fake students, fake faculty. Patron for such nursing colleges? The state government. The task force on paramedical education headed by Dr C M Gurumurthy has come out with shocking revelations on the state of nursing education and has exposed the nexus between the fake institutions and the government. This nexus, it says, has helped the colleges thrive for decades. Sample this: In 2003'-04, the Karnataka Nursing Council (KNC) inspected 360 institutions but approved only 30.