By NewsGram Staff-Writer

New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the government and the Medical Council of India (MCI) were responsible for the net loss of 1,170 medical seats in the year 2014-15.

Though the number of medical colleges has increased, the availability of the medical seats have decreased, according to a report in Times of India.

The SC bench consisting of Justices A R Dave, Vikramjit Sen and U U Lalit said: "The affidavit filed on behalf of Union of India shows that though the number of seats had risen, obviously because of permissions granted for establishment of new colleges, because of disapproval of renewal cases, the resultant effect was net loss in terms of number of seats available for the academic year," as quoted in TOI report.

The affidavit by the Union government stated that, even though the total intake in MBBS course has increased between the academic years of 2013-14 and 2014-15 from 51,598 to 54,348, as the permission for renewal of seats was not granted in 3,920 seats, there is a net loss of 1,170 seats.

The loss of seats would have been more, had the government not approved on the last date, the renewal of 4,747 of the 8,667 seats recommended for rejection by MCI. The approval was given to the 73 government medical colleges on the basis of the assurance and undertaking given by the respective state governments.

The SC has held that the loss of seats was due to the delayed and improper inspection of medical colleges and due to delays in granting the required permission to the colleges to admit students.

The net loss of medical seats attains importance because India has only one doctor per 1700 people as against World Health Organization's (WHO) standard of 1 doctor per 1000 people.