NMC rethinks ban; new colleges, more seats likely

NMC rethinks ban; new colleges, more seats likely 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 02.08.2025

Ahmedabad : In a significant reversal, the National Medical Commission (NMC) indicated that it will consider granting approvals to new medical colleges and increasing seats for current academic year, despite its earlier stand. Just two weeks ago, on July 14, the NMC issued a circular stating that no new medical colleges would be approved this year, nor would any applications for additional seats be accepted. According to initial estimates, this new stance could result in the addition of approximately 350 medical seats in the state. Two existing colleges have applied for seat increases, while one proposal for a new medical college is also under active consideration. If these are approved, they will not only compensate for the earlier seat losses but also add fresh capacity. NMC move followed CBI raids across several medical colleges in India, which exposed serious irregularities in infrastructure, staffing, and admissions processes. In Gujarat alone, over three medical colleges were found involved in such violations. As a consequence, the NMC cancelled seat expansions and even slashed seat counts: two colleges had 50 seats each reduced, while one college had all 250 seats withdrawn due to non-compliance. However, in a surprising turnaround, the NMC now clarifies that new approvals and seat expansions will indeed be considered.