Srinagar: The government has decided to start academic session at the upcoming All India Medical Institute (AIIMS) Awantipora next year. However, the class work will be held at the makeshift campus in Srinagar almost 30 kilometers away from the proposed site of the campus in south Kashmir.
The Health and Medical department, which is coordinating the project for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has invited bids for setting up the temporary campus in Srinagar.
“All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Awantipora requires a building within Srinagar city with minimum 8000-13000 sqft construction area to start MBBS classes in makeshift arrangement,” reads a notice issued by the Director Coordination, New Medical Colleges of J&K, Dr Yashpal Sharma.
The technical requirement include space to accommodate two gallery type lecture halls, library, laboratories, rooms for faculty, toilet facilities etc.
According to Dr Sharma, the selection process for MBBS courses will be done on the basis of NEET score from the next academic session in August 2020.
“The selection process for the entry level course will be the same as that of other AIIMS like institutions in the country. But, other technical details including the number of seats and curriculum will be decided by the health ministry itself as the health department is only coordinating the project for government of India,” he said.
Sharma said the purpose of the campus in Srinagar is to have an adjacent hospital where students can have hands-on training.
“It’s must for every AIIMS to have a 300 bedded hospital attached to it so that the institution can get MCI recognition and MBBS students can receive hands-on training. Such facility is possible only in Srinagar where many government-run hospitals are operational.”
Meanwhile, the J&K government is yet to transfer the civil project to Central Public Works Department (CPWD) which has been assigned the construction of AIIMS Awantipora.
This, according to the source, forced the authorities to set up the temporary campus in Srinagar.
“The J&K government was supposed to handover the construction work to CPWD after the construction of boundary walls, approach road and stations for water and electricity as part of the local assistance. However, it is yet to complete the initial work which is taking time to begin the construction of main campus building,” said an official privy to the project.
According to Dr Sharma, the Health and Medical Education department will transfer the project to CPDW soon.
“Our role will end soon as we have concluded the initial works of facilitation,” he said.

Manzoor ul-Hassan