COVID-19: Delhi govt-run medical colleges to re-open; students to join in phased manner

Amid an improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, medical colleges under the Delhi government have been ordered to reopen, but physical classes will resume in a phased manner for different academic batches, officials said on Thursday.

These institutions, which include the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) attached to the LNJP Hospital and the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) linked to the GTB Hospital, are closed since March in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Consequent upon the reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in the NCT of Delhi and after assessing the current situation, the re-opening of the medical colleges under GNCT of Delhi are hereby ordered with immediate effect by observing distancing and SOPs (standard operating procedures) issued after the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic," reads an order issued on January 6.

However, students will be allowed to resume physical classes in a phased manner, the officials said.

"In the first instance, first-year MBBS/BDS batch will be called in a staggered manner and teaching and practical will be completed within a period of one-and-a-half to two months from date of re-opening of college," the order said.

Subsequently, final-year students will be allowed to join college.

"Final-year students will be eligible to appear in the final-year annual exams on successful training, on passing of which they will be eligible to join as interns. Thereafter process will be initiated for permitting second-year MBBS/BDS students to rejoin college," it added.

Delhi recorded 486 fresh COVID-19 cases and 19 new fatalities on Thursday, even as the positivity rate dipped to 0.63 per cent, authorities said.

The infection tally in the city stands at 6.28 lakh and the death toll mounted to 10,644, they said.

It will be ensured that all guidelines, social distancing norms and SOPs circulated by the central and Delhi governments, including UGC guidelines for re-opening of universities and colleges post the COVID-19 lockdown, National Medical Commission letter, dated November 12, and Dental Council of India letter, dated December 30, are strictly followed, officials said.

The Union health ministry in late November had asked state and union territory governments to initiate steps for reopening of medical colleges from December 1 or before it, but with strict adherence to all COVID-19 related guidelines.