Government Medical College, Kottayam - History - Events

Events

• 1960: The project for establishing a medical college at Kottayam was included in the third five-year plan.
• 1961: First batch (1961 batch) of 50 MBBS students were selected and accommodated at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram from January 8, 1961.
• 1962: Site for the campus was identified and land acquisition begins. This area was the confluence of three panchayaths — Kumaranalloor, Athirampuzha and Arpookara — and formed part of the territorial limits of three villages: Perumbaikkad, Athirampuzha and Kaipuzha. Dr C M Francis was appointed as principal and special officer of the college. He took over on July 5, 1962 with the college functioning from Kottayam town. Semi-permanent buildings were constructed to house the college and two hostels (one for 100 male and the other for 50 female students). The Inspection Commission of Kerala University visited the college on July 10, 1962 for assessing the facilities; affiliation was granted on the basis of the commission’s report.
• 1962: Admission (II batch, 50 students) accommodated at Thiruvananthapuram joined the Arpookara Campus on March 12, 1962 after spending September to November at Thiruvananthapuram. The medical college was formally inaugurated on December 3, 1962 by R Sankar, the chief minister of Kerala in the presence of M P Govindan Nair, the health minister. Campus on the day of inauguration consisted of the semi-permanent buildings to house pre-clinical and para-clinical departments, library, animal house, store, women's hostel (now the Dental College) and men’s hostel (now MHSQ) besides the PWD office and seven acquired buildings.
• 1963–1961 admission (I batch, 50 students) joined the campus on 06.01.1963 after first MBBS at Thiruvananthapuram.
• 1964: The District Hospital at Kottayam was brought under the college and used as teaching hospital (MCH Kottayam) from January 1963 onwards; a 100 bedded block for medicine and surgery and another 116-bedded block for Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Paediatrics were constructed in the District Hospital complex in 1963 and 1964. III batch (1963) with increased strength of 60 students was admitted at Medical College Kottayam itself on 01.08.1963. Construction of permanent buildings for hostels for men and women, quarters, etc. were undertaken from 1963. Annual intake was increased to 80 from 1964 batch. An space of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) around the campus was declared as a Controlled Area and “Kottayam Medical College Area Development Authority” was constituted to ensure proper development
• 1965: The MC Health Centre at Ettumanoor was established in 1965 after taking over the Government Dispensary.
• 1969: Construction of E, F and G blocks and Kitchen block of MCH at Arpookara was completed.
• 1970: Construction of the present outpatient (OP) block and laundry of MCH at Arpookara completed. Medical College Hospital at Arpookara was formally inaugurated by the minister for health KM George on 14.04.1970. Departments of Medicine and Surgery were shifted from DH Kottayam to MCH Arpookara. Other departments continued to function at DH Kottayam (MCH Kottayam). The campus in 1970 consisted of the semi-permanent buildings to house pre- and para-clinical departments, library, animal house, college office and central workshop (earlier women’s hostel and now part of DCK), pharmacy, MCH EFG block, laundry, kitchen block, women’s hostel (now MHSQ), men’s hostel, PHED, PWD office and store, quarters type A: 01-10, B: 01-13, C: 01-17, D: 01-05, E: 01-16, F: 01-16, G: 01-34, and seven acquired buildings.
• 1973: Post graduate courses (MS Surgery & MD Medicine) started from 1973/74 (1 June 1973).
• 1974: Construction of A, B and C blocks of MCH at Arpookara was completed; other major departments were shifted from DH Kottayam to MCH Gandhinagar in 1974 and 75. The area surrounding the campus and the surrounding localities was christened Gandhinagar.
• 1975: ESI hospital with its quarters and campus was bought from ESI Corporation and converted to Institute of Child Health in April 1975, shifting the Paediatrics department from DH Kottayam.
• 1977: Strength of admission increased from 80 to 85 during 1977-78; Bed strength stood at 837.
• 1979: Annual intake of MBBS increased to 100 from 1979/80 academic year.
• 1980: Affiliation was shifted to Gandhiji University (later renamed Mahatma Gandhi University) following the bifurcating of Kerala University.
• 1982: College of Nursing, Kottayam started functioning from May 1982 with 25 BSc (Nursing) students. Due to lack of facilities at Kottayam, it was initially accommodated at the College of Nursing Thiruvananthapuram.
• 1985: The new Medical College administrative block was opened in October. The College of Nursing was shifted to Gandhinagar in November and starts functioning from the space vacated by college office (the present Dental College).
• 1994: The Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology and Central Library shifted to the new C block.
• 2001: Dental College started functioning in the campus.
• 2003–4: Major construction started.
  • Construction of phase 1 of cardiology – cardiothoracic block
  • Construction of the (C2 block) intended for housing the remaining departments: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Community Medicine, which are still functioning in the temporary buildings put up in 1962
  • 300-bed hostel for nursing students
  • Obstetrics & Gynaecology block, Phase I
• 2004: Inauguration of Dental College building
• 2005: Inauguration of learning resource centre in January. Inauguration of Vali’s children’s cancer care center (Leukemia ward) in ICH October. Telemedicine project started functioning.
• 2008: Inauguration of C2 block and Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Community Medicine departments were shifted to the new block.