Recognition granted to three medical colleges during the tenure of former Medical Council of India (MCI) President Ketan Desai is being reconsidered, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Lok Sabha today.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Azad said 20 medical colleges were granted permission between March 1, 2009 to May 10 this year, when Desai headed the MCI.

Recognition of 17 colleges has been upheld as there was no complaint from any quarter, Azad said adding the remaining three colleges -- one each in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra -- were being reconsidered.

He said the renewal of recognition to 88 medical colleges, granted during Desai's tenure, was also reviewed.

The MCI had given positive recommendation to 41 colleges and negatived 45 institutions, the minister said adding no special recommendation was made for two colleges.

This was reviewed by the newly constituted Board of Governors of MCI which found that renewal of 36 of the 41 colleges was okay.

Of the negative report of 45 colleges, the new Board found 28 to be positive and upheld the negative reports of 17 colleges, Azad said.

Desai was arrested by CBI in April for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs two crore to grant recognition to a medical college in Punjab.