NMC wants 50% PG, MBBS seats’ fee fixed

NMC wants 50% PG, MBBS seats’ fee fixed

Wants To End Capitation Fee In Med Colleges

Yogita.Rao@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:27.05.2021

Almost two years after the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act was passed, the commission has released draft guidelines on fixing fees in private and deemed medical colleges across the country. Once these norms are passed, fees for 50% MBBS and postgraduate medical seats in these colleges will be regulated.

The commission has listed more than 25 guidelines, ranging from not charging exorbitant sums as security deposits to not including all hospital expenses while computing the cost for providing medical education. It has disallowed capitation fees in any form and said colleges must adhere to the ‘not-forprofit’ model.

Parents say once implemented, the rules will bring relief to thousands of meritorious students who cannot pursue medical education in private and deemed colleges due to the steep fees.

DRAFT GUIDELINES ON NMC FEE

Fees in new colleges should be decided on ad-hoc basis

In Maharashtra, private colleges charge up to ₹16 lakh per annum and deemed colleges charge up to ₹25 lakh per annum as fees.

A health ministry official said: “It is already two years now, and we hope these draft regulations are implemented before the next academic session begins. It will bring relief to meritorious students who are unable to pursue these courses from private institutions.”

The guidelines state that only operating cost should be primarily considered to determine fees. “The fees can be fixed for a block of three years or on a year-toyear basis and should remain the same for the entire duration of study, subject to inflation adjustment,” the draft said. Fees in newly established colleges should be decided on an ad-hoc basis, based on the fee structure of a recently established college in the state. “Since the expenditure in the Covid-19 pandemic year will not depict the true picture — as hostel and mess expenses dropped, and expenses in hospitals and doctors’ allowances and salaries went up — the state fee regulatory body can consider the average financial result of the previous three years,” said the statement.

The expert group has recommended linking the development fee of 6-15% of the operating cost to the performance of the college in a rating system, which is in the pipeline. The amount of security deposits should not be considered for calculating fees and interest on the deposits may be deducted from the operating costs, it said.

Full report on www.toi.in