Himachal may take action against medical college

The Himachal Pradesh government may take action against private Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College for not getting affiliation with the state-run university, Health Minister Kaul Singh said here Wednesday.

The college is currently affiliated to Maharishi Markandeshwar University based in Haryana.

"Maharishi Markandeshwar University does not have any statutory powers to affiliate its Solan based medical colleges with it. The college has to get the affiliation from HPU (Himachal Pradesh University)," Singh told reporters.

He said the government has kept all options open for initiating action against the medical college if it does not follow the directions.

The college is in the thick of controversy, first for getting nod for 150 MBBS seats from the Medical Council of India (MCI) and then for not allowing a state team to inspect its campus.

The minister said the permission to set up the college was given by the previous BJP government.

"The complaints which have been received against the college have been forwarded to the state Private Institutions Regulatory Commission.

"The state government can forfeit the guarantee money of the college for failing to provide necessary infrastructure to students," he said.

He said the medical college had five-year time to complete all infrastructure related requirements, failing which the state government could forfeit the guarantee money of the institution.