JAMMU: In order to cater to the growing demands of large number of government and private medical colleges, including dental, AYUSH, para-medical and physiotherapy institutions across the State, Government is mulling to establish an independent Medical University in Jammu and Kashmir.

Presently there are more than two dozens of medical institutions, including nursing and para-medical colleges/schools in the State which affiliated to the Kashmir and Jammu universities and many more are coming up. These institutions are confronted with multiple issues related to their academic activities viz-a-viz admissions, counselling, timely conduct of exams, results and other allied issues in absence of exclusive Medical University in the State. The two main universities in the State viz; Kashmir and Jammu are catering to the needs of thousands of students from all three regions of the State as also the medical colleges are affiliated with them and thus overburdened with the multiple workloads.

To explore the possibility of establishing an independent medical university in the State, Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today convened a high-level preliminary meeting of officers in his office chamber and discussed the feasibility and modalities related to this ambitious move. A detailed discussion was held on the issues related to the need and establishment of an exclusive medical university in the State. As a preliminary move, the Minister constituted a 4-member Committee to be headed by Additional Secretary Health & Medical Education with representatives from Jammu University, Medical and Dental Colleges which would suggest ways and means for setting up this vital institution after detailed study of modalities and viability.

Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Pawan Kotwal, Principal Dental College, Jammu, Dr. Romesh Singh, officiating Principal and HoD Pathalogy GMC, Jammu, Dr. K.K. Koul, Registrar Academics, GMC, Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Directors Health Services, Kashmir/ Jammu, Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman and Dr Gurjeet Singh Soodan, Director Finance, H&ME, Mohammad Rafiq, Additional Secretary H&ME, Naseer Ahmed Wani, Additional Secretary Health, K.S. Chib and Joint Director Planning, Madan Lal were present in the meeting.

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