While Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) has set a goal to increase MBBS seat intake from 150 seats to 250 seats in the coming academic year, it is also interested in increasing the number of PG medical seats in various departments, particularly the ones that are most sought after, to meet the growing demand for specialists.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has completed the process of renewing recognition to the MMCRI for MBBS seats in online mode. The renewal is for a period of five years.

With the MMCRI meeting the requirements suggested by the NMC team in its last inspection over the seat intake, the institute is hopeful of getting the nod for 250 seats even as the team is expected to make another visit to Mysuru this year, or it may study the institute’s proposal online. The NMC team has already gone through the examination pattern, syllabus and other details.

“The deficiencies noticed in NMC’s last inspection have been addressed. We are submitting the compliance report. We are hopeful of getting NMC’s nod for the year 2022-23,” said Dr H N Dinesh, Dean and Director, MMCRI, Mysuru.

He told Rashtra News that two lecture halls with 250-seat capacity and one lecture hall with 350-seat capacity are ready. Hostels for boys and girls are almost ready. The boy’s hostel is ready with cots and other furniture being fixed. The girl’s hostel will get ready in six months. Until then, they can be accommodated in old hostels located in the city centre, In the next five years, the MMCRI hostels could accommodate 75% of its student strength – both MBBS and PG students.

Dr Dinesh said the MMCRI’s infrastructure upgradation is almost complete and faculty recruitment is being looked into as the institute needs at least 30 new posts to meet the rise in intake by 100 MBBS seats.

“We are in the process of roping in faculty members. A proposal in this regard has been sent to the government,” he said.

As the number of faculty is increasing by 30, the MMCRI has also proposed to increase the intake of medical PG seats by 30 since there is a huge demand for specialist doctors, especially in psychiatry, radiology, anesthesiology and pulmonology.

“The proposal for 30 more medical PG seats is before the government and the NMC. The NMC team may look into both the proposals of the MMCRI – 100 MBBS seats and 30 PG seats – in its next inspection,” Dr Dinesh said.

The MMCRI dean said the need for more specialist doctors was felt when the MMCRI hospitals – K R Hospital and COVID-19 Hospital – were battling the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Even the need for equipment was felt, and the same was being incorporated based on the availability of funds. The number of PG seats in each department is being increased from 1 to 2 or 2 to 3, based on the demand and need, he explained.