NMC tightens noose on mushrooming. of under-resourced medical colleges

NMC tightens noose on mushrooming. of under-resourced medical colleges

Divyansh.Kumar@timesofindia.com

09.03.2026

TIMES EDUCATION 09.03.2026

All new medical colleges will have to maintain a corpus fund to get an approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for establishment and expansion. NMC plans to tighten the financial scrutiny and application compliance for new and existing medical colleges, for which the colleges will have to show financial feasibility. The policy might turn out to be a powerful legal tool to regulate mushrooming of under resourced medical colleges. This regulation will also tighten the noose over institutions that cite ‘financial deficits’ as a convenient excuse to deny mandatory stipends for interns and residents.

The exact amount of the corpus will be decided by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board(MARB), with the regulatory body retaining the authority to revise the mandated amount periodically. The draft provision extends this financial requirement to already functioning medical colleges as well. “The objective is not expansion control per se, but to ensure that only serious, adequately resourced institutions enter and remain in the system. Over the past decade, expansion of medical colleges has been a national priority to address doctor shortages. At the Same time, quality, faculty stability, infrastructure continuity, and student protection remained non-negotiable. The proposed corpus mechanism is intended to ensure long-term financial sustainability, prevent disruption of academic activity, and safeguard the interests of students and trainees,” NMC officials tell Education Times.

The number of medical colleges in the country has nearly doubled, rising from 387 in 2014 tomore than 780 by 2024. During the same period, MBBS seats increased by over 130%, jumping from roughly 51,300 to more than 1.18 lakh. While the expansion has improved access tomedical education, it has also exposed gaps in financial sustainability, infrastructure, and faculty availability.

The draft provision can address these structural problems. “Many colleges cite financial deficits to deny stipends to interns and residents. If properly audited, this requirement can help ensure that institutions proving financial solvency are able to pay stipends,” says Dr Sandeep Dagar, patron, (FAIMA).

The issue of unpaid or delayed stipends has been a recurring flashpoint across several states, with colleges frequently attributing the problem to fund constraints. “In the 2023 regulations on the establishment and expansion of medical institutions, a corpus fund was required for each medical college, but the exact amount was never specified, which was an oversight flagged by the Supreme Court. Henceforth, the medical colleges will have to give an undertaking on financial viability. NMC will soon deliberate and determine the appropriate amount to be maintained as acorpus fund,” says Dr MK Ramesh, president, MARB.

Strict Compliance

The traditional practice of planned renewal inspections will be phased out. “NMC will conduct random, surprise inspections instead of standard renewal inspections. We already have introduced Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) and other monitoring tools in place. Furthermore, we are working to introduce app-based IDs for patients and plan to leverage AI and digital technology to ensure strict compliance,” adds Dr Ramesh.

AP veterinary students protest low stipends, demand parity with MBBS interns

AP veterinary students protest low stipends, demand parity with MBBS interns

Interns say they have been getting a stipend of Rs 7,000 per month since 2013, while medicos are being paid Rs 25,906.

SVVU students staging a protest in Tirupati (Photo | Express)

S Guru Srikanth

Updated on:

07 Mar 2025, 8:41 am

VIJAYAWADA: For over a month, veterinary science students across Andhra Pradesh, including those at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) in Tirupati, have been protesting against low stipends.

They demand a revision, citing stark disparities: Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) interns receive Rs 7,000 per month—unchanged since 2013—while MBBS interns earn Rs 25,906. Postgraduate veterinary students get Rs 9,000, compared to Rs 64,000 for medical counterparts, and Ph.D. scholars receive Rs 10,000.

“This is blatant injustice,” said P Naswar Khan, president of the Andhra Pradesh Veterinary Students and Graduates Association. With around 2,000 students across four veterinary colleges, Tirupati, Gannavaram, Proddatur, and Garividi, and 300 final-year interns, including 69 at Garividi, frustration is mounting.

Khan pointed out that BVSc interns, who spend six months at polyclinics and another six at farms, zoos, and laboratories, bear additional expenses for accommodation and transport without extra support. “Our stipends were once on par with MBBS students in 2013, but medical stipends have increased while ours have stagnated,” he said. Students also noted that veterinary fees rise annually, whereas government medical college fees remain fixed while stipends increase.

The Veterinary Council of India (VCI) took up the issue, with its president, Dr Umesh Chandra Sharma, writing to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on February 13, 2025, following a student appeal on February 12. He stressed veterinarians’ role in preventing zoonotic diseases and ensuring food safety, arguing that their stipends should match those of medical students.

SVVU students have formally demanded a stipend hike to Rs 25,906 for undergraduates and Rs 64,000 for postgraduates, with a 15% annual increase. They claim their protests have been ignored for 13 years. Research scholars also report funding shortages due to budget constraints.

SVVU vice-chancellor (in-charge) Prof. JV Ramana told TNIE that the issue was raised with the State government in July and October 2024, with assurances that it is under review. His team, along with parents, is persuading students to halt their protests.

Minister K Atchannaidu has reportedly discussed the matter with the Chief Minister, who proposed a 50% stipend hike. However, students, learning this unofficially, insist on at least Rs 15,000 and vow to continue striking.

The YSRCP has urged the government to act immediately, stressing the need to support veterinary students and safeguard farmers’ interests.

Garividi vet college students’ future hangs in limbo

The future of 69 final-year students at Garividi Veterinary Science College remains uncertain as the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) has yet to recognise their third, fourth, and fifth years. “Without recognition, we can’t intern or apply for PG exams,” said final-year student D Lokesh Sai. Amid a month-long strike, sources say VCI approval is progressing.