MBBS students wait for original certificates from Chintpurni college

Karam Prakash 

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 18

Hundred of total 249 MBBS students, who were shifted from the Chintpurni Medical College to three government medical colleges in Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot after it was closed down for not fulfilling the conditions of the Medical Council of India (MCI), are still running from the pillar to post to receive their original documents from their previous college.

Students alleged that their detailed marks certificates of first and second year and Class X and XII were still lying with the college since their admission. They alleged that the college authorities were demanding hostel and mess charges for the session 2017-2018. “How can we pay for the time we didn’t stay there. The college was shut in November 2017 after Punjab withdrew its essentiality certificate,” the students said.

When contacted, Dr RPS Boparai, Principal, Chintpurni Medical College, said, “There are some dues left which students have to pay to get their certificates. Some of the students have already paid and got their certificates back.” 

Arun Batra, father of an MBBS student of the 2014 batch, said, “We had paid annual fee for the 2017-2018 session, following which we got admission in other colleges. The college authorities are demanding hostel and mess fees for the same session. This is unjustified as students vacated hostel during the same period.”

Moreover, Directorate, Medical Education and Research (DMRE), Punjab, in 2016, had stated that medical institutions in the state had no legal right to keep the original certificates of students with them. 

Sushil Goyal, President of Chintpurni Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) Parents’ Welfare Association, said, “No educational institution has the right to keep the original certificates of students with them. We have written to the DRME and the Health Secretary about the matter.” 

Harleen Batra, a student, said, “As per the rules, the college authorities have to return certificates within two to three months after the session begins. We need our certificates since we have to apply in other institutions for other courses.”