The number of MBBS seats for Odisha has come down by 250 from this year. The Medical Council of India (MCI), the apex medical education body, has not renewed 250 MBBS seats in Odisha’s three medical colleges for the academic session 2015-16.
The MCI denied permission for admitting students to Hi-Tech Medical College, Rourkela, and Sardar Rajas Medical College, Kalahandi. Besides, the council slashed the number of seats at Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) Bhuabaneswar, to 100 from 150 on the grounds of lack of the adequate infrastructure.
Notably, both Hi-Tech and Rajas had admitted 100 students each last year.
Official sources said the MCI had asked these colleges to improve infrastructure to consider the renewal.
There are a total of 650 MBBS and 150 BDS seats in the state of which counselling would begin for 85% of seats by the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) on Monday. SCB Medical College in Cuttack will be the nodal centre for counselling. Students can register themselves for counselling till August 28.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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