Assam's medical education hub dream stalled by faculty shortages
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's ambitious plans to establish Assam as a national hub for medical education by 2026-27 face a harsh reality: hundreds of vacant faculty posts across the state's medical colleges.
In September 2023, Sarma envisioned a future with 2,000 MBBS seats and over 1,000 PG seats in Assam. This ambitious goal aimed to address the state's doctor shortage and strengthen its healthcare system.
“Assam will soon become the country’s hub for medical education. We are on our way to have 2,000 MBBS seats and over 1,000 PG seats,” Sarma had written on X last year in September.
He had said new institutions will lead to greater availability of doctors at government hospitals, which will boost the overall healthcare system of Assam.
In November 2022, Sarma claimed that the number of medical colleges in Assam will increase to 21 by 2026-27.
However, data obtained by Northeast Now reveals a stark reality that falls short of these promises.
Across Assam's 12 existing medical colleges, a concerning 278 faculty positions remain unfilled. These medical colleges include-- Gauhati Medical College, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, Silchar Medical College, Jorhat Medical College, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College, Barpeta, Tezpur Medical College, Diphu Medical College, Lakhimpur Medical College, Dhubri Medical College, Nalbari Medical College, Kokrajhar Medical College and Nagaon Medical College.
There are a total of 1,482 faculty members working in 12 medical colleges in Assam, which is lower than the sanctioned strength of 1,760.
These vacancies span all levels, from professorships to assistant professorships, with Diphu Medical College shouldering the highest burden.
“There are currently 70 vacant professor posts out of a sanctioned strength of 394. Similarly, 131 associate professor positions are vacant against a sanctioned strength of 834. Assistant professors also have vacancies, with 77 positions unfilled out of 534 sanctioned posts,” sources said.
Diphu Medical College has the most faculty vacancies, with 41 positions currently unfilled, sources added.
Assam offers a total of 1500 MBBS seats and 722 postgraduate medical seats across its 12 medical colleges. However, only six of these colleges provide postgraduate programs. This raises serious questions about the quality of medical education being offered despite the increasing number of colleges.
Strained Resources, Stalled Progress
The data paints a picture of understaffed medical colleges struggling to meet their sanctioned faculty strength. This directly impacts the quality of medical education for students. With limited guidance and mentorship from experienced professors, students may not receive the comprehensive training needed to become qualified doctors. The lack of faculty also hinders research opportunities, crucial for advancements in medical science and improved patient care.
A Domino Effect on Healthcare
Faculty shortages have a domino effect on Assam's healthcare system. The new medical colleges, many lacking crucial departments due to staffing issues, are unable to produce the additional doctors envisioned by the government.
This creates a bottleneck, leaving government hospitals with persistent doctor shortages. Overburdened existing faculty struggle to manage teaching duties alongside patient care, potentially compromising both aspects. This situation hinders the overall improvement of Assam's healthcare infrastructure, leaving residents with limited access to qualified medical professionals.