Imphal, Feb. 21 : The Union health ministry has accepted a proposal from the authorities of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, to increase the number of MBBS seats from 100 to 150.
A source said the special director general of the health ministry, D.C. Jain, gave his nod during a visit to the institute recently.
“The official paid a visit to the institute last week to inspect the infrastructure facilities and gave the green signal for increasing the number of MBBS seats,” the source said.
Of the existing 100 seats, 31 are for Manipur, while the remaining seats are shared by other states of the Northeast and also beyond the region.
The institute has been demanding an increase in seats ever since the institute was taken over by the Centre from the North Eastern Council two year ago.
The Centre had also promised the Manipur government that it would upgrade RIMS to the status of the AIIMS, New Delhi.
Though the institute’s authorities want the health ministry to increase the number of seats from the next academic session, the home ministry wants infrastructure like hostels and buildings for all departments in place before any upgrade.
“The existing buildings are more than 40 years old and the home ministry wants new constructions for expanding the institute and healthcare services,” the source said.
During his visit, the senior health ministry official assured the director of the institute, Sinam Sekhorjit, that the ministry would take up some development projects, like procuring equipment and setting up more laboratories, before increasing the seats.
Given the law and order situation in Manipur, the special director general wants a proper boundary wall around the institute complex.
Petty crimes like snatching of mobile phones and money have been reported on the hospital campus.
Unknown persons even brought a man and shot him dead on the institute’s complex recently.