A brief history of North Bengal Medical College for many of the students and Ex students who are not aware of the creation of our great institution.
Writing a history of our institution is extremely difficult for my aging brain to recall the past ! It was a journey which was full of challenges and opportunities to learn and grow! A dream come true for all of us!
The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital is located in the foothills of the majestic Himalayas, at Susrutanagar in the Darjeeling district; it was the first Medical College of North Bengal and was established in the year 1968.
A brief history for the new boys and girls who didn’t know the past!
In the month of April, 1967, the then United Front Government led by Sri Ajay Mukherjee made a statement and a gazette notification that the government would establish a Medical College in North Bengal! The Key persons in the Bengal government were Sri Ajay Mukherjee, Chief Minister, Sri Jyoti Basu, Deputy chief Minister and Sri Nani Bhattacharya, the Health Minister! As the Health Minister was from Jalpaiguri, he wanted the Medical College to be in Jalpaiguri.
After the Gazette notification 50 students were admitted in the Premedical course at Jackson Medical School at Jalpaiguri Which later became the Jalpaiguri Pharmacy training centre. During that time admission to Medical Colleges were possible after the students completed the Premedical course of one year duration! So 50 students had to take admission in the Premedical course in the year 1967 at Jalpaiguri Pharmacy training centre adjacent to Jalpaiguri state general hospital. However The name of the Medical College and its Site was not finalised then!
In this context it will not be irrelevant to mention that the United front Government abolished the Capitation fee system, prevailed in National Medical College and the number of seats were reduced to one hundred only from 200; Selection of students to Medical Colleges were decided on the basis of marks obtained in the Higher Secondary Examination( Board Examination of Class Xl)
By the end of 1967, the name of the Medical College was finalised as North Bengal University Medical College with the Vice Chancellor of University of North Bengal at the helms;
At the end of the Premedical course, Students took admission in University of North Bengal in the year 1968 and the classes were started in the University campus at Raja Rammohan pur from 18.11.1968.
The Hostel for boys was in the separate wing of the same building!!
The college thus named North Bengal University Medical College started with Department of Anatomy, Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Department of Chemistry, in the year 1968 with Professor Sasadhar Biswas as professor in charge as well as the professor of Anatomy! The other teachers of Anatomy were:
Dr. Mohit Kumar Das- Reader
Dr. Ramendu Das- Lecturer
Dr. Mrs. Sandhya Majumder- Lecturer
Five more teachers joined in the Anatomy Department later, they were Prof. Dr. S C Laha (1970)
Dr. Arun Kar & Dr. D N Choudhury and Dr. Shyamal Bose (joined in 1971) and Dr. N Chakrabarty in (1970).
Dr. Samar Deb joined in the Anatomy Department on 2nd January 1972 and later took over as the Vice Principal of NBUMC!
The dissection classes were held in the University campus at a makeshift arrangement near the “ Shalbon “ an area surrounded by Shal trees!
The Department of Physiology & Biochemistry had following teachers:
Dr. Subir Majumder Reader and HOD
Dr. Sankar Mukherjee
Dr. Manju Choudhury
Dr. Arijit Guha
Dr. J N Bhaduri joined NBUMC in 1970 as Professor and Head of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry!
Dr. R N Roy & Dr Ambika Ch. Banerjee and Dr Swapan Ghosh were the teachers of Biochemistry;
The Department of Chemistry had two teachers namely
Dr. Samar Bose and Dr. Bhim Prasad Pradhan!
The technicians who were instrumental in helping us for practical classes were:
From 1968 the Premedical course was shifted to Raigunge University College and it continued until 6th batch! From the 7th batch to 9th batch the students continued their Premedical course at North Bengal Medical College campus!
In the year 1969, the second batch took admission in the MBBS course at University of North Bengal at Raja Rammohanpur!
The first batch appeared in the first MBBS Finals in the year 1970.
The first Principal was Professor Ajit Kumar Datta Gupta who joined in 1971.
Gradually the students were able to understand that the clinical classes would not be possible in the university campus as the newly established Medical College didn’t have any hospitals for clinical training. Initially it was planned to have the clinical classes at Siliguri Subdivisional Hospital, but due to lack of infrastructure the plan was abandoned!
Repeated deputations and demonstrations at Siliguri and in the University campus compelled the Government authorities represented by the then Health Minister Nani Bhattacharya to sit with the students representatives and finally it was decided to shift the whole batch to have their clinical classes at IPGMER and SSKM Hospital and the process to be continued till the North Bengal University Medical College get a full fledged Hospital and infrastructure to provide clinical training to the students!
The first five batches had to migrate to IPGMER & SSKM Hospital for the clinical classes! The first batch completed their Final MBBS and in the year 1974 and completed their internship and house staff ship at SSKM! The second batch completed their MBBS in 1975 and internship in the year 1976 respectively! From the second batch onwards the students who have completed internships were sent to North Bengal Medical College Hospital at Susrutanagar for House staff ship training along with the students for completing their MBBS courses.!
Our college got recognition from Medical Council of India in the year 1977, after continuous protests and agitations by the students! The MCI represented by Dr. Joseph and Dr. Rudrappa from Kerala and Bangalore respectively! The recognition was given with retrospective effect!
On 13th August 1978 University of North Bengal handed over the Medical College authority to run the Medical College and the Hospital!!
In 2004 the institute achieved the milestone to be reckoned as the Post graduate institute with introduction of MD/ MS courses in five specialised disciplines like, Anatomy, Physiology, Community Medicine, Pathology and Anaesthesiology which were recognised by the Medical Council of India in 2007.. Since then more post graduate courses were added in the fields of Forensic Medicine,& Toxicology, General Medicine, General Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Radiodiagnosis, Psychiatry and Otolaryngology..
It is needless to mention here that Our College is now 57 years old and our students now spread across the world have proven themselves as the best of all!
To Conclude we must remember “ What we once have enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us. When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”- Helen Keller (1957)
From the President’s Perspective::
With great enthusiasm, commitment and love for our alma mater, we’ve formed the North Bengal Medical College Alumni Association! I personally feel privileged and proud to be a part of this association! My sincere thanks to all the Alumni of our institution for giving me the opportunity to assume the role of the founding President of this historic association!
I assure you all that I shall render my service to the best of my ability for the betterment of our fraternity and our institution!
Our alumni Association is committed to create a congenial atmosphere for all the students and faculty members of our great institution! No one should feel alienated and excluded from the mainstream community!
Before I conclude, I want to appeal to each and everyone who has been a student of NBUMC and NBMC to become a member of this association and help achieve our mission!
With sincere thanks
Dr. Prabir Paul (1969)
MBBS, DPM, MD (Psychiatry)
Consultant Psychiatrist
President
North Bengal Medical College Alumni Association (NBMCAA)
President,
Iswar Sankalpa, catering to Homeless Mentallly ill persons!
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