New Delhi, Jan 5 : Defence Minister AK Antony today inaugurated the Army College of Medical Sciences here at Delhi Cantonment.

The plan to open the Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS) was initially conceptualized in the year 2003. Then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and then Army Chief jointly laid down the foundation stone on January 28, 2004.

Inaugurating the medical college, Antony appreciated the excellent infrastructure and state of arty building of the ACMS, and mentioned the continuous support of the government to the Army to open more educational institutions for their wards.

He also lauded the efforts of the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) for spreading literacy in the country.

Indian Army takes the additional responsibility for the education of the wards of its personnel, as welfare is an important aspect of command in the Army.

Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor said the AWES is doing a yeoman service for the education of wards of Army personnel through educational institutions spread throughout the country and ensuring quality education at affordable cost.

The ACMS started functioning from academic year 2008-09. It offers four-and-half years course for the award of Degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, following one-year compulsory internship.

The college is affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi and approved by the Medical Council of India.

The annual intake of the College is 100 students. ACMS and other affiliated colleges of Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) are unique in character because there is no quota or any kind of reservation in admission.

Admission is purely on merit. The students passing out of the college will be joining the Army after successful completion of the course, subject to their suitability, merit and on the vacancies available. (ANI)