Environment

CAG finds lapses in dental education

Slams health ministry for granting permission to dental colleges with inadequate infrastructure and faculty

Sonal Matharu

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticised the Union health ministry for allowing 13 new dental colleges to start functioning despite the statutory body for dental education recommending against it.

Dental Council of India (DCI), the statutory body, had rejected licences of 13 new dental colleges after conducting inspections across the country. These colleges did not have enough medical, dental and paramedical staff and lacked infrastructure like college buildings, libraries, hospitals and clinical equipment like dental chairs.

Eleven of the 13 colleges moved Supreme Court. On directions of the apex court, the Union health ministry formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which pointed out deficiencies in five colleges. The ministry, however, granted permission to all the colleges.

Colleges health ministry allowed tofunction against advice
 
  • Aditya Dental College, Beed, Maharashtra
  • Hindustan Institute of Dental Sciences, Uttar Pradesh
  • Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar
  • Maharashtra Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, Latur
  • NIMS, Jaipur
  • Nootan Dental College and Hospital, Gujarat
  • Rishiraj Kheer Dental College, Bhopal
  • Singhad Dental College and Hospital, Pune
  • Sofia Dental College, Trichy
  • PDM Dental College and Research Institute, Bahadurgarh
  • Vallinayaki Dental College and Hospital, Pondicherry
  • Vyas Dental College and Hospital, Rajasthan
  • Yogita Dental College and Hospital, Maharashtra
 
Concentration of colleges