Kerala government has issued Essentiality Certificate needed to upgrade Asramam ESI Model and Super Speciality Hospital in Kollam into full-fledged medical college. Certificate,valid for three years,allows admission of 50 MBBS students for 2026–2027 academic year,according to N.K. Premachandran,MP for Kollam.
Though this brings medical college project closer,Premachandran worried about immediate admissions this academic year. He slammed previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) for “stubbornness” and delays he says caused uncertainty. Alleged prior government stalled certificate processing,missing National Medical Commission (NMC) deadline for new applications.
Efforts from Director General of ESI Corporation,which operates under central government,were in vain,state bureaucracy didn’t act. Premachandran noted even direct appeals didn’t sway previous government,blocking Kollam from meeting NMC timeline. With United Democratic Front (UDF) now in charge,new Health Minister K . Muraleedharan prioritized issue,quickly moving to issue certificate .
But project still faces big regulatory hurdles. Hospital must secure official affiliation from Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) to process NMC application. Standard deadline for new medical college applications already passed,making upcoming academic cycle application unlikely.
Premachandran pointed out ongoing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) issues could cause nationwide first-year MBBS admission delays. He stressed need to explore alternative submission windows or special extensions in upcoming ESI board meeting end of month. “If any possibility exists to initiate college sessions this year,we will pursue all available channels,” he said,committing to rigorous efforts to open facility without more delays…but will it be enough?
