LUCKNOW: Around 2,100 MBBS seats in government and private medical colleges of UP were slashed following denial of permission from the Medical Council of India (MCI) on account of human resource and infrastructural gaps.This brought down the total number of MBBS seats in UP from 5,000 to 2,900 even as the process for counselling after NEET result on Monday, is set to begin. The move comes despite UP government's affidavits that the directorate of medical education will remove all the gaps in its institutions pointed out by the MCI in its inspection reports.As per UP medical education directorate, there are 15 government-run medical institutions and colleges in the state having 1990 seats. Of these, four -- medical colleges in Azamgarh, Jalaun, Banda and Saharanpur -- were denied MCI approval to admit students in MBBS. This leaves the state with 1590 government MBBS seats. Likewise, there are 15 private medical colleges with over 3010 seats. Denial of permission to start MBBS programmes to a majority of them has now reduced 1,700 seats. The list includes HF Medical College, Firozabad, GS medical College, Hapur, KD Medical College and Hospital, Venketeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences, Gajraula, Saraswati Medical college, Unnao, Glocal Medical College and Superspeciality Hospital and Research Institute Saharanpur, Subharti Medical College Meerut among others.Two private medical colleges in Lucknow - Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences - will also not be allowed to take MBBS admissions. It may be noted that the Prasad Institute of Medical Institute was in news following judges' bribery case. In fact, the institute was seen as one of the reasons for the 'rebellion' of four senior Supreme Court judges last year.It was alleged that in 2016, the Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences bribed some influential people, including a retired Odisha high court judge IM Quddusi, to get a favourable order from apex court which was hearing a case about its future as the college was running without an MCI recognition. The matter is being probed by the CBI.Director general, medical education, Dr KK Gupta told reporters that UP government had not given up. "MCI's denial will have a great impact on public health and, therefore, we would represent before the council again. We have already pledged to plug in the gaps. Nonetheless, the option of challenging the MCI order in the court is there with us. I hope that we will take admission on all 1990 seats in government medical colleges," Gupta said.

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