Fate of 16 GDC interns hangs in balance as stir continues

MUMBAI: Hundred of interns from Government Dental College & Hospital (GDC) continued the strike that began on Tuesday. The interns were upset over too many students from private colleges being inducted for internships at the college. After the strike, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), decided to cancel the induction of a few of private college students.

"According to the rule, only 15% of the total seats available can be given to private college students (generally called externs) for internships in a public hospital medical college. Three per cent more can be inducted on medical grounds. That means, that a total of 18% private college students can be inducted in the college. But GDC has taken 46 externs for internship this year," said Sunit Ayare, a GDC student.

Following the strike, the MUHS ordered the college to cancel the induction of 12 externs, while the decision for the remaining 16 is yet to be taken. "The external students can pay an amount of Rs 30,000 and complete their internship in a public medical college. When we realised that so many extra students were taken, we wrote a letter to the university," said Milind Mhaiskar, secretary of Medical Education and Research.