A rising tide of alarm is sweeping Madhya Pradesh's medical community following reports that the state government is considering closure or large-scale reorganization of the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU), whose headquarters are in Jabalpur.
According to latest news in the media, the government is set to shift the degree-awarding power of MPMSU to regional universities. This will mean students studying in colleges like Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, would get their degree from Barkatullah University and those in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur, under the jurisdiction of Rani Durgavati University, among others.
MPMSU, constituted to be the sole affiliating medical university of the state, would no longer be at the center stage.
Medicos protest move
In response to the move, the Junior Doctors Association (JDA) of Madhya Pradesh has written to the Medical Education Minister, Rajendra Shukla, voicing strong opposition to the move.
In a detailed memorandum tabled this week, the association has urged the government to reconsider the move that can have long-term implications for the state's medical education and health systems.
The JDA letter emphasizes MPMSU's commitment in bringing uniformity, transparency, and accountability in medical and paramedical training in Madhya Pradesh. The earlier medical schools, not yet under MPMSU, were affiliated to various regional universities, leading to uneven exam schedules, delayed results, and reported malpractices.
"Establishment of MPMSU has introduced uniformity, transparency, and quality in medical and paramedical education in the state. All the affiliated medical colleges have been holding examinations on time and declaring results within a fixed duration ever since its establishment. This has not only led to greater discipline among students but also reduced corruption and malpractices that were prevailing earlier under the control of regional universities," the letter added.
The group also charged that the experience and knowledge that regional universities lack should be utilized in managing medical education, as it is much more complicated and dynamic than university programmes.
Shifting allegiance back to such institutions, they argue, might result in academic variances, delay of internships and residencies, and disruption of critical training protocols.
The letter also stated that the university has been at the forefront of enforcing the standards and guidelines set by the National Medical Commission (NMC), an initiative that would be undermined by the lack of a centralised medical university.
No indication from the government yet
Speaking to EdexLive, President Junior Doctors Association Dr Kuldeep Gupta reaffirmed these concerns and urged the government to clarify its intentions.
We came to know from the media reports that the state government is considering closing MPMSU. It's sad, as Madhya Pradesh has just one single medical science university that has a supervisory role on all the medical colleges of the state. It would be a big injustice to the medical students if it is closed down," he said.
We wrote to the Department of Medical Education, and though we haven't received a word officially, department sources have unofficially informed us that the university will not be shut down. Instead, they will introduce new professional courses," he added.
"Such a move to end MPMSU would, however, severely affect the standards of medical education, Academic uniformity will be disrupted, and inconsistency in examination timings and training between institutions," he added.
With the anxiety continuing, students, teachers, and medical organizations across the state are now awaiting an official announcement from the government. Meanwhile, Junior Doctors Association threatened that another step could be initiated if their concerns are not addressed at once.
MPMSU, established in 2011, now has the membership of over 300 Madhya Pradesh-based medical, dental, nursing, paramedical, and AYUSH colleges. Restructuring on such a large scale would affect thousands of students and several streams of medical education.
