The Centre on Wednesday informed the Bombay high court that it has decided to de-recognise three diploma and six post-graduate medical courses conducted by the city-based College of Physicians and Surgeons. The college, according to the government, admitted more than 2,000 students every year despite having no infrastructure.
Although the Medical Council of India since 1997 has been consistently recommending to the central government to withdraw recognition granted to the nine courses, the decision has come only after two medical practitioners moved the court against the Centre’s inaction.
The medical practitioners, Arun Date and Dhananjay Kshirsagar, had contended in their public interest litigation (PIL) that the century-old college, set up by the then Surgeon General in 1909, was handing out degrees termed as Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) as well as diplomas despite having no infrastructure — no college building, no hospital and no faculties.
Representing the government, advocate Suresh Pakale assured the court that a notification de-recognising the courses would be issued within two weeks.
Petitioner’s lawyer Vijay M Thorat contended that although the Medical Council of India has recommended de-recognition of qualifications granted by the college, the central government was not taking any decision.
Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, appearing for the college, challenged the government pleader saying no decision was taken on the recommendations of the MCI. Lawyer for the petitioners, Vijay M Thorat, however, pointed out from a letter submitted by the pleader last time that the Centre had decided to accept the recommendation.
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