65 med colleges ordered shut

More than 30,000 students who passed out from these institutions over the last several years will also have to spend three years behind bars if they are found practicing.

The institutes provided diplomas like Electro Homeo Medicine six months or degrees like Bachelor of Electro Homeopathy Medicine and Surgery Certificate Course four-and-a-half-years and a one-year Doctor of Electro Homeo Medicine degree.

Some of these unrecognised institutes were operating from just two rooms, spending as little as Rs 20,000 on infrastructure. Spot inspections by Health Department staff revealed that medical teachers were paid less than a government peon and none of the institutes had spent more than Rs 2 lakh on infrastructure.

Principal Secretary Health Madan Mohan Upadhyay told The Indian Express that the action followed an amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Medical Colleges Regulation Act of 1973. The amendment, for the first time, clearly defined the terms 8220;doctor8221;, 8220;medicine8221; and 8220;medical education8221;.

Though Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi announced the derecognition of the 65 institutions today, the process had been set in motion nearly a year ago when the Act was amended. All private colleges operating without government recognition were asked to apply within 30 days and submit details such as the system of medicine, syllabus, teaching faculty and administrative set up.

Upadhyay said none of these institutes were affiliated with the state Government, the Centre or any university. All the applicants showed affiliations from different Electro Homeopathy Councils having offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Patna and Bhopal. They offered similar courses but durations varied from one institute to another. For example, Khandwa8217;s Nimad Institute offered a three-year Bachelor of Electro Homeopathy Medicine and Surgery Certificate while NEHM based in New Delhi8217;s Janakpuri increased the duration of the same course by one-and-a-half year more.

Upadhyay said he personally heard all the applicants and was amazed by what they told him. Many of those running the institutions were simple graduates and did not have any idea of medical education. All they did was tamper with syllabus in recognised institutes by adding words like Electropathy/Electro Homeopathy.

Vishnoi said orders had been issued to all district collectors and divisional commissioners asking them to immediately close these institutions if they were found to be working.