AIIMS Jammu takes second batch of MBBS students
Srinagar: No progress has been made on the procedures to kick-start academic activities of AIIMS Kashmir for the second year now.
While authorities continue to blame the pandemic for the delay in moving ahead on the project, the aspirants rue the loss of another year.
For the past two years, there has been no progress on finalizing a temporary campus for AIIMS Kashmir or for starting the process of roping in manpower for the project.
While the officials are awaiting a team from the mentoring Institute AIIMS Rishikesh for inspecting the sites that had been shortlisted by J&K government for temporary campus, the aspirants are a disappointed lot.
In February 2020, J&K government communicated the details of the five buildings it had shortlisted as possible sites for a temporary campus.
At the same time, similar options were shortlisted in the Jammu division for the temporary campus of AIIMS (Jammu) at Vijapur. The temporary campuses, if approved, could pave way for starting the academic activities and these institutes could seek approval for the 50 MBBS seats to begin with.
However, a senior official said that AIIMS Jammu was started in a makeshift manner and the first batch of 50 students was admitted for the Institute for 2020-21 academic year.
Last week, AIIMS Jammu admitted its second batch of 50 students for MBBS. The students have been availing the facilities of AIIMS Rishikesh, the official said, temporarily till a campus is made ready.
A senior health official said in September last year, the J&K government sent a reminder to AIIMS Rishikesh for taking a call and guiding on the way forward for AIIMS Kashmir.
“The government was told that the documents were forwarded to the Union Health Ministry and AIIMS Rishikesh was awaiting a communication from them,” he said.
Earlier last year, the J&K government appointed a Director for AIIMS Jammu while applications were also shortlisted for the appointment of Director AIIMS Kashmir by the year end. But the interviews for the post of the Director are yet to be held.
Dr Yashpal Sharma, Nodal Officer for new Medical Colleges in J&K said that the academic activities could start in the upcoming academic year.
“Once we have a Director in place, for candidates who have been shortlisted already, the progress will get expedited,” he said. Dr Sharma said interviews were ‘expected soon’. He said that AIIMS Rishikesh was ‘also expected soon’ to review the progress of AIIMS Kashmir.
