According to the order, first-year MBBS/BDS students will be called in a staggered manner, and teaching and practicals will be completed. (Representational) First-year MBBS and BDS students in the capital will return to college “with immediate effect”, an order issued by the Delhi government has said.
First-year students will be the first ones to rejoin, the order stated. Medical colleges in the city have been shut since March last year, when a nationwide lockdown was ordered.
“Considering the state of the virus in Delhi is under control, it has been decided to reopen medical colleges under the Delhi government with immediate effect. All guidelines related to Covid-19 in terms of precautions will be duly followed,” Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
Doctors at the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), which is attached to Lok Nayak Hospital, had staged a protest in December, demanding that non-Covid facilities be restarted in hospitals and that medical colleges be reopened.
Last October, the resident doctors association of MAMC and associated hospitals had written to the dean of the medical college, raising concerns over the disruption in clinical activities with the hospital converted into a Covid-only facility.
In the letter, a copy of which was also marked to CM Arvind Kejriwal, the association highlighted how medical students have not been able to complete their training for clinical activities, which in turn is hampering academic skills of students.
According to the order, first-year MBBS/BDS students will be called in a staggered manner, and teaching and practicals will be completed within one-and-a-half to two months from the date of reopening of the college.
“Subsequently final-year students will be allowed to join college…Thereafter, the process to permit second-year MBBS/BDS students to rejoin college will be initiated,” the order read.