Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 2 Sep: Congress State spokesperson Dr Pratima Singh today launched a sharp attack on the BJP government in the state, alleging that its lack of foresight, administrative failure and ineffective efforts have put the future of thousands of aspiring medical students at risk.
Singh said that the medical counselling process has begun in the state, but the status of recognition for the Government Medical Colleges in Rudrapur and Pithoragarh by the National Medical Commission (NMC) still remains under cloud. She alleged that the government’s ‘criminal negligence’ has pushed the meritorious students and their parents into severe mental distress. The uncertainty has emerged at a crucial time when students are required to make informed choices about their preferred colleges and plan their academic and financial future.
Singh claimed that the CM and the Health Minister have been publicising the Rudrapur and Pithoragarh medical colleges for several months and taking credit for their establishment. She claimed that the ground reality is that the institutions are facing a serious shortage of doctors and lack essential infrastructure and have failed to meet the standards prescribed by the National Medical Commission.
The Congress spokesperson alleged that the Dhami government has been promoting incomplete colleges for electoral and political gains without completing the necessary preparations. She said the uncertainty surrounding their recognition has now exposed the government’s claims. According to her, students and their families are being left to deal with the consequences of official delays despite having worked hard to qualify for medical admission.
The Congress spokesperson reminded that ‘NEET’ counselling has begun, but students are unable to decide whether they should include these colleges in their choice list. If they opt for these institutions and recognition is not granted later, their entire academic year may be wasted.
She further alleged that because of the government’s failure, children from poor and middle-class families in Uttarakhand are being forced to leave the state and seek admission to expensive private medical colleges in other states. This, she said, would place an additional financial burden on families and may force many deserving students to reconsider their medical education plans.
Singh demanded that the Health Minister should immediately resign on moral grounds for failing to secure recognition for the medical colleges within the stipulated time. She also demanded that the Dhami government issue a white paper on the actual status of recognition of the Rudrapur and Pithoragarh medical colleges and place all the facts before students. The document, she said, should clearly mention the steps taken by the government, the objections raised by the NMC, if any, and the expected timeline for final approval.
She further demanded that a safe and alternative arrangement be made for students during the counselling process until the NMC grants final approval, so that no student’s academic year is wasted. She said students should be given clear written information and an option to modify their choices if the recognition status remains unresolved.
Singh warned that, if the Uttarakhand government fails to resolve the uncertainty and provide justice to the students within the next 24 hours, the Congress would not remain silent. She said the party would launch an aggressive and decisive agitation against the government, from the streets to the state Assembly, to protect the rights and future of the students.
