YSRCP’s statewide protest against Privatization of Medical Colleges

Tadepalli, November 11: YSR Congress Party has launched a statewide public movement opposing the Chandrababu Naidu government’s decision to privatize 10 newly established government medical colleges under the PPP model. This move threatens affordable medical education for poor students and accessible multi-specialty healthcare for the underprivileged.

Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy initiated 17 new government medical colleges to ensure equal access to medical education and improve public healthcare infrastructure. Five colleges were inaugurated and admissions began under his tenure, while Pulivendula and Paderu colleges were nearly completed. The National Medical Commission even approved 50 seats for Pulivendula. However, the current government wrote to the NMC rejecting these seats, crushing student aspirations. Despite never establishing even one government medical college in his long tenure, Chandrababu Naidu is now attempting to hand over public institutions to private players.

In protest, YSRCP announced a massive public campaign, including one-crore signature collection, rallies at Assembly and district headquarters, and petitions to Revenue authorities. On Wednesday, rallies are being held across all 175 Assembly constituencies. Against a target of 50,000 signatures per constituency, people are responding in far greater numbers. Students, parents, civil society groups, intellectuals, and activists are joining the movement irrespective of political affiliation, responding to the call given by YS Jagan.

YS Jagan’s government added 750 new MBBS seats by launching five colleges and strengthening government hospitals as teaching institutions. But after Naidu assumed office, seat strength was reduced, including a cut of 100 seats at Paderu, resulting in the loss of 2,450 MBBS seats in two years. YSRCP firmly opposes the PPP move, calling it an effort to hand over assets worth thousands of crores to corporate cronies at the cost of students and public healthcare.