Infrastructure shortages affect students at 10 Telangana government medical colleges
Junior doctors report overcrowding, poor food, and lack of transport at several state-run medical institutions.
Students at approximately 10 of the 33 government medical colleges in Telangana are facing inadequate infrastructure and basic facility shortages, according to The New Indian Express. The affected institutions include colleges in Vikarabad, Sircilla, Asifabad, Mulugu, Kamareddy, Khammam, Medak, Yadadri, Jogulamba Gadwal, and Quthbullapur.
In Vikarabad, students reported that 16 to 17 girl students share large rooms in a temporary hostel, while some newly admitted students stay in partitioned corridors. Students at the Vikarabad college said the hostel roof leaks during rains, bathrooms are inadequate, and there has been no hostel mess for two months. They also noted a lack of college buses for clinical postings at the Government General Hospital and the Mother and Child Hospital.
Similar issues were reported in other districts. At Medak, students are sharing rooms in overcrowded hostels and raised safety concerns regarding snakes and scorpions near buildings. In Khammam, temporary hostel rooms accommodate 10 to 12 students, and the college lacks buses for the 15 km trip to the hospital.
Students at Sircilla and Yadadri also flagged unreliable transport and poor sanitation or hygiene.
The shortages extend to academic resources, including faculty, laboratory equipment, and libraries. Students at Quthbullapur reported a lack of a mess, canteen, dining hall, and drinking water. At several colleges, students highlighted restricted library timings and the absence of digital library facilities.
Chandrakanth Narahari, general secretary of the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA), said these deficiencies affect students' academic performance, health, and well-being. The association has urged the Directorate of Medical Education to intervene to improve infrastructure, provide mess facilities, ensure transport, and address faculty and laboratory shortages.