The Medical Council of India (MCI) has released a new scheme that proposes to remove diplomas and replace them with degrees in MD or MS. Maharashtra government-run medical schools are one of the first ones to accept the change and are also ready to convert their diploma courses into degrees of MD or MS. The medical colleges that have accepted the change plan to do the conversion for the upcoming academic year of 2019-20.
The MCI has put up a deadline for the colleges to use the conversion scheme offered by them, that was set for the last week of February 2019. This would have been applicable if the colleges want the conversion done for the academic year 2019-20. According to the Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Dr. Tatyarao Lahane, two of the government colleges in the state have successfully converted their diplomas into degrees of MD & MS and more colleges are being requested by them to use the conversion scheme.
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However, this change has been accepted at the last moment by the government medical colleges. It was only after a lot of persuasion from the DMER that the colleges had accepted the offer. The Union Ministry had sent out a ‘last chance notice’ to the medical colleges to change their seats for the next academic year. The Ministry will also soon send out a notification stating the omission of the diploma course in the colleges and also forward it to the MCI Board of Governors with along with an undertaking by the Medical colleges in India wishing to accept the conversion scheme.
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With the new conversion scheme brought up by the MCI, colleges now have the ability to change their seats into MD/MS seats. However, those pursuing and who have pursued Diplomas till now in the country are worried that their career prospect could be harmed because of having a diploma which now would be obsolete.