AIIMS classes from today

The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, has pressed for speedy completion of construction works of the hospital, academic blocks and allied infrastructure as it rolls out its academic session from Friday.

The Phase-I work has been considerably delayed for factors like land problems, quitting of contractors midway and  litigation in the Orissa High Court. More than ` 100 crore worth of works comprising four hostels, director’s building, faculty quarters and other infrastructure have been held up due to a stay by the High Court.  “We are striving to get the stay vacated on the next hearing on October 3 so that the work can commence and completed in an expeditious manner,’ AIIMS Director Prof AK Mahapatra said here on Thursday.

 The first batch of 50 students would, however, start the academics from Friday with a five-day orientation programme chalked out for them. Around 36 per cent students of the first batch are from Odisha followed by 32 pc from Kerala. The rest are drawn from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP, Bihar and Assam. Nearly 12 of the 50 students are girls.

 The students would be accommodated in NIFT at Chandaka Industrial Estate till quarter blocks on the AIIMS campus are ready. The girl students, who were to be housed in Biju Patnaik State Academy of Police hostel nearby as per an earlier decision, would now be put up on the NIFT campus. They will be shifted to their own campus within a month as the Type II quarters for them are nearing completion, Dean Prof Vikash Bhatia said.

 The teething problems notwithstanding, AIIMS Bhubaneswar would be developed as one of the most vibrant and leading institutions in medical education,  research and healthcare in the country, Prof Mahapatra asserted.

 “It will complement the three Government medical colleges as a super referral centre and spur their development in terms of infrastructure, facilities and skill upgradation of the doctors,” he said.

 The authorities have also planned for increasing the number of seats in the next academic session while pointing at the need for expansion of the hospital capacities.

“The next batch would have at least 100 seats depending on the development of infrastructure. The main hospital building has to be complete and different clinical departments should be up and running by then. The interviews for the faculty members in various clinical disciplines would be held during October-November,” Mahapatra said.