Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Jharkhand’s largest government medical institute, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), has received approval from the National Medical Commission to increase its MBBS seats to 250, with admissions for this expanded intake set to begin from the current academic session, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of medical education in the state.
Health Department’s Long-Standing Efforts Lead to NMC Approval
The Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department had been working for a considerable time to increase MBBS and PG seats at RIMS and other medical colleges in the state, submitting all necessary proposals, compliance reports and documentation to the NMC and central government, following which the commission granted approval for the seat increase at RIMS. Prior to the approval, a high-level meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh reviewed RIMS’s preparedness, assessing faculty strength, hostel facilities, classrooms, laboratories, hospital infrastructure and other essential resources, with the NMC granting clearance after all standards were found to be met.
Second Phase of Seat Expansion Follows MGM Medical College Increase
In an earlier phase, MBBS seats at MGM Medical College in Jamshedpur were increased from 100 to 150. In this second phase, RIMS seats have now been raised from 180 to 250. The department stated that the process of increasing MBBS and PG seats at other medical colleges across the state would continue in the coming period.
Health Minister Calls It a New Beginning for Medical Education
Health Minister Irfan Ansari described the development as a new beginning for healthcare and medical education in Jharkhand, stating that the government’s continuous efforts to strengthen the health system were now beginning to show results, and that RIMS’s facilities were being consistently upgraded to present the institute in a new form before the entire country. Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh said the government’s goal was to ensure Jharkhand’s students have access to quality medical education within the state itself, adding that alongside the seat expansion, infrastructure, modern equipment, faculty, laboratories and hostel facilities at medical colleges were also being expanded to increase the number of specialist doctors and strengthen healthcare services in the future.
RIMS Director Calls Approval a Major Achievement for the State
RIMS in-charge director Dr. D.K. Sinha said the NMC’s approval was a major achievement for both RIMS and the state of Jharkhand as a whole, calling it the result of joint efforts by the state government, health department and RIMS administration, and affirmed that RIMS would continue meeting all NMC standards to provide better medical education to students. The Health Department believes that the increase in seats at MGM and RIMS will reduce the need for Jharkhand students to go outside the state for medical education, while ensuring a greater number of trained doctors for the state in the coming years, further strengthening healthcare services.
