Hyderabad: Eight new government medical colleges have now been added to Telangana after the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao inaugurated them on Tuesday.
These eight new medical colleges have been set up in Sangareddy, Mahabubabad, Manchiryala, Jagityala, Vanaparthi, Kothagudem, Nagarkurnool and Ramagundam. CM Rao inaugurated all these medical colleges from Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad.
The classes for the MBBS first year in all these colleges started simultaneously on Tuesday, adds ANI.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Telangana Government had announced that admission in eight new medical colleges in the State would commence from this year and with this another 1,200 seats will be added to the State’s seat matrix.
Announcing it to be a Dasara gift to the medical aspirants, the State Health Minister T Harish Rao had also informed the media that until 2014, there were only three medical colleges in Telangana. However, the numbers increased to 17 after the formation of Telangana State and very soon 33 medical colleges will be there in all the districts of the State.
Established at a cost of Rs 4,080 crore, these new medical colleges will add altogether 1,200 additional MBBS seats in the seat matrix of Telangana.
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While inaugurating these eight new medical colleges, Chief Minister KCR said, “This is a golden chapter in the history of Telangana state. There was a time when we faced many problems for drinking water, irrigation water, electricity, medical seat and engineering seat. We are proud to start eight medical colleges today. Previously we started four medical colleges in Mahbubnagar, Siddipet, Nalgonda and Suryapet. We are managing them successfully.”
Especially in a tribal area like Mahabubabad and remote area like Vanaparthiand, he said no one ever dreamed that government colleges and medical colleges would come up. “The creation of a Swarastate and the leadership of the administration of Telangana by the children who worked as activists made our dreams come true,” he said.
KCR attributed the establishment of these eight colleges to state health minister Harish Rao. He further said that the state government is determined to have one medical college in every district in Telangana.
The CM added that the number of Government Medical Colleges in the state has increased to 17 and are spread over 16 districts. There is a need to start new medical colleges in another 17 districts, KCR said.
In this regard he added that in principle cabinet approval has also been given to take up the construction of these in the coming days.
Telangana CM said previously 850 MBBS seats were available in government medical colleges but currently, that number has increased to 2,790. Earlier there were 531 PG seats, now 1,180 PG seats are available. Earlier there were only 70 super specialty seats, today 152 seats are available, KCR said.
The availability of doctors in proportion to the population is as important as the availability of para-medical staff, emphasized KCR adding that the same indicates the strength of the medical field. He said nursing colleges are also being established in this direction.
The State has spent Rs 510 crore for each of these eight medical colleges- taking the total budget to Rs 4,080 crore. Adjoining district hospitals have been upgraded and attached to these GMCs.
Apart from these 1200 MBBS seats, another 1067 seats will be available for the Telangana medical aspirants this year adter the State implemented 85 percent reservation of Category-B management quota MBBS and BDS seats in minority and non-minority private medical colleges for the local students.
Issuing two Government Orders (G.O.) in this regard, the Telangana Government made it clear that from now on only 15 per cent Category-B UG medical and dental seats will remain open for the students outside the State.
Also Read: Telangana to establish medical colleges in 33 districts soon