Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to reopen all the Medical Colleges functioning in the State from from December 1.
The Medical Colleges are now closed for UG classroom teaching, tutorials, practical classes, laboratory and clinical training due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision to reopen the institutes has been taken after careful consideration and in pursuant to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, said a notification issued by the State health department.
The Medical College authorities shall follow scrupulously all the SOPs/guidelines with respect to social distancing and prevention of spread of epidemic issued by Central/State Government, the notification added.
The National Medical Commission had earlier considered the representations from students and Medical Colleges for reopening of the colleges for undergraduate MBBS students and after carefully considering all the factors had recommended that medical colleges across the country must re-open on or before December 1 for the MBBS students already pursuing their course.
The delayed new academic session for 2020-21 should commence from February 1, 2021 while the new PG session for the academic year 2020-21 should begin from at least July 1, 2021 and therefore the PG-NEET exam for the AY 2021-22 would need to be scheduled around March-April 2021.
The Commission had requested the Central Government to issue necessary directions to all State Governments for re-opening of medical colleges and also making available non-COVID beds in the affiliated medical college hospitals to facilitate undergraduate medical training.