Review of Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, MBBS Course

Medical College, Kolkata is the oldest medical college in Asia. It boasts of a glorious legacy and a glorious alumni. Though the infrastructure and overall rank of the college had detoriated, currently it is again on the rise.

M.B.B.S. is one of the toughest graduation courses in India and the world, if not the toughest one. It is a 5.5 year course in total, with 4.5 years of academics, and 1 year of internship. There are 14 subjects in total.There are 3 Professional M.B.B.S. Examinations conducted by the University, with the third one being divided into two parts in two years. And there are 9 semester examinations and several part tests which add to the internal marks. All the examinations have theory and practical parts.

There are no placements, as with any M.B.B.S. college. However, you can opt for a housestaffship in the college after you have graduated, according to a merit list based on your professional examination marks. The current stipend for house staffs in WB is around ?38k per month. And in a country like India, where there is a shortage of doctors, I highly doubt that there is a lack of job opportunities for an MBBS graduate, i.e. a doctor. The internship is of 1 year and is mandatory for the completion of MBBS course. It is a rotatory internship with postings in different departments ranging from 15 days to 2 months depending on the department. The current stipend for internship in govt colleges in WB is around ?22k per month.

The annual social event, Rhapsody, is held in the month of September. The annual sporting event, Arthralgia, is usually held in February. The Quiz Club conducts both inter and intra college quiz competitions. Saraswati Puja is celebrated on Basanta Panchami.

Since it is a government college, fee structure is minimal, including hostel fees. Fee was ?750 per semester, upto 2017, I have no idea if it has increased. Hostel accommodation fee was ?12/month, unbelievable, but true. It was until 2017, I have no idea if it has increased. The hostel fees excluded the cost of meals. For meals an individual would require ?2000-?4000 per month.

As it is a Government college and a government hostel, there is no loan facility offered that I know of. However, my friends from the reserved category had availed a scholarship by the state government. I do not know of the details, but it was most probably based on their Higher Secondary examination marks and continued if they got above a certain percentage of marks in the college examinations.

The college common room and the hostel common rooms offer indoor gaming facilities. There is not much space for outdoor gaming. Cricket is played in the Giribabau Hostel field. There is the annual sporting event of Arthralgia where both indoor and outdoor games are held.

I had stayed in the Medical College Students' Hostel in Giribabu Lane, colloquially called Giribabu Hostel. It was an old hostel and the infrastructure was bad. However, it is currently being renovated. And multiple new hostels are being constructed in and around the college.

There is a very good and tight senior-junior relationship in the college. It has been going on since long ago, and will continue. The seniors are extremely helpful. The alumni association is the M.C.E.S.A., or the Medical College Ex Students' Association.

By WBJEE(M). It was a State joint entrance which can be given after 12th standard. The examination was MCQ format, to be given on OMR sheet. And after the ranks were out, a state counselling was held and colleges were allowed according to the rank and the choice of rank holder. Currently the entrance examination is NEET-UG. It is a pan-India MCQ type examination held as Computer Based Test. After the merit list/rank list is out, both state and all India counsellings are held and the student can get admission to this college via either of these. The counselling are similar, colleges are allowed according to rank and choice.

The faculty are experienced doctors and mostly good academics. Lectures and practical classes are held regularly. Although they are a bit tough during the tests and examinations. And they are mostly good superiors during internship.