SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 14: It is a twist of fate that the institution, which the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted permission for 50 MBBS seats in the name of infrastructure and faculty deficiencies, has become the most sought institution in comparison to other medical colleges for MBBS students of the state in 2021-22 academic sessions.
More than a dozen qualified students of all India quota and state quota have preferred Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad instead of renowned medical colleges in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and other states of the country.
A student named Soumya Shalini, through all India quota got a seat in the top-ranked Wardha Medical College, Maharashtra but she preferred SNMMCH Dhanbad. Another student Muskan got a seat in Barmer Medical College, Rajasthan through the all India quota but she liked Dhanbad medical college.
Priyanka Kumari was selected for Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur through Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) but like Soumya Shalini and Muskan, she (Priyanka) too preferred SNMMCH.
The climax reached the top in the mop-up round when a student of state quota returned to SNMMCH Dhanbad after taking admission at MGMMCH Jamshedpur.
The student Mayank Kumar Singh of Hazaribagh got admission at SNMMCH Dhanbad in the first round. But after the 2nd round of counselling, he was upgraded to MGMMCH Jamshedpur and got admission there.
But in the mop-up round, Mayank Agrawal returned to SNMMCH Dhanbad after attending classes at MGMMCH Jamshedpur. Admission in charge of SNMMCH Dhanbad Dr Ganesh Kumar admitted that it was a rare case when a student returned twice.
“I preferred SNMMCH because I saw a better campus environment, sufficient infrastructure to grow and quality faculty members to move up in comparison to other medical colleges,” said one of the MBBS students.
Traditionally, SNMMCH Dhanbad is considered the 3rd choice in Jharkhand for MBBS students of state after Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur.
Moreover, the NMC has reduced 50 MBBS seats of SNMMCH in name of deficiencies. Interestingly, government-owned other four medical colleges MGMMCH, Palamu, Hazaribagh and Dumka medical colleges have 100 MBBS seats each but SNMMCH has only 50.
In these circumstances, SNMMCH Dhanbad being the first preference of students keeps significance.
SNMMCH principal Dr Jyoti Ranjan Prasad said students have preferred this institution only after assessing the facilities. “No doubt the college has the complete infrastructure and qualified faculty members. Now the confusion of people about my institution is fading away and they are preferring it,” he said.
Expressing happiness over the choice of students, admission in-charge Dr Ganesh Kumar said, “Infrastructure of SNMMCH is better than most of the medical colleges of the country and that is why our college has become the first choice of students instead of ranked medical colleges of the country.”
