Five new medical colleges were scheduled to open in Andhra Pradesh for the 2024–2025 academic year, but plans were derailed when the National Medical Commission (NMC) refused to provide the vital Letter of Permission (LOP) needed for enrollment. This decision was made in response to an inspection conducted by the NMC Expert Committee, which found serious faculty and infrastructural issues at the proposed Markapur, Madanapalle, Adoni, Paderu, and Pulivendula schools.
There was a great deal of hope when these medical colleges were first accredited by the NMC. But as the inspection uncovered several flaws, the euphoria subsided. The main complaints were inadequate faculty requirements and physical infrastructure. According to reports, the former administration led by the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress (YSRC) party was responsible for these shortcomings due to hurried planning and subpar execution.
Although the construction agreements for the colleges were signed at different times, the requisite civil works could not be completed in time due to delays in these agreements. In particular, contracts for Adoni and Pulivendula were signed in December 2022, while those for Markapur and Madanapalle were completed in February 2023. The agreement with Paderu was reached in June 2021. Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC) engineers observed that it usually takes about 30 months to finish significant civil works. There were considerable delays as a result of the deadline not being followed.
Only roughly 22%, or Rs 533 crore, of the Rs 2,425 crore total allotted for these colleges has been spent financially thus far. Construction has ceased since July 2023 due to outstanding payments of Rs 188 crore. Interestingly, only 6%, 10%, and 23% of the approved amounts have been used for Madanapalle, Markapur, and Adoni, respectively, indicating exceptionally low spending levels. Spending on Paderu and Pulivendula has been a little bit greater, at 23% and 58%, respectively.
These problems have been made worse by the previous administration’s refusal to grant Rs 198 crore from Special Assistance for Capital Investment (SACI) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). Prior to the NMC inspection, the newly elected government, which entered office on June 12, 2024, had a short window of opportunity to resolve these issues. The current administration claims that there was not enough time to address the mismanagement of the previous government, which is to blame for the current shortcomings.
The new government has a difficult task ahead of them. To satisfy NMC requirements, it must expeditiously finish civil works, settle financial concerns, and deal with the faculty shortage. The government intends to fix these shortcomings and ask for another inspection by the NMC Expert Committee once the necessary staffing numbers and facilities are in place, according to Dr. Narasimham, Director of Medical Education. Whether these changes can be implemented in time to obtain the required LOP from the NMC will now determine how admissions are handled for the upcoming academic year.
SOURCE:
MEDICAL DIALOGUES
