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NEWS 18,07,2024

NMC processes 113 applications for starting new med colleges Approval Of Colleges May Lead To Further Increase In Seats

NMC processes 113 applications for starting new med colleges Approval Of Colleges May Lead To Further Increase In Seats

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesofindia.com New Delhi : 18.07.2024

With just days to go before NEET-UG counselling starts, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has processed 113 applications seeking permission to start new medical colleges by both the govt and private sector. The decision on whether approval has been granted or not has been shared with the applicants but the same hasn’t been notified yet. NMC sources said the final list of approved medical colleges will be uploaded on its website once the appeal process is over. “Some applications that have been disapproved have filed an appeal which has to be decided as per the laid down procedure,” said a source, who did not want to be quoted.

There are approximately 1.20 undergraduate medical seats across the govt and private medical colleges in the country. This year, more than 23 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG exam that was held on May 5. It is expected that approval of new medical colleges will lead to further increase in medical seats and thus increase the probability of admission for medical aspirants. Since 2013-14, the number of medical colleges in the country has nearly doubled. The number of seats for an undergraduate course (MBBS) has also increased by almost 110%, from 51,348 in 2013-14 to 1,08,990 in 2023-24, whereas the number of postgraduate seats increased by almost 118% from 31,185 to 68,073 from 2013-14 to 2023-24.

Recently, a Parliamentary committee has recommended the govt should formulate a comprehensive framework to address bureaucratic hurdles and effectively implement the partnership of private medical colleges with the district hospitals. According to the committee, chaired by MP Bhubanaeshwar Kalita, this will not only provide sufficient clinical material to the MBBS students but also decrease the setting up and functioning cost of private colleges, thereby rationalising the costs of medical education. “Additionally, as another measure to reduce the cost of medical education in private colleges, the committee recommends the govt subsidise the necessary equipment/ machines for the setting up of skill labs in private colleges as they are sophisticated and costly and are often imported,” the committee has said in its report on the quality of medical education that was tabled stated.

The average MBBS course fees across govt colleges in India (both centrally funded, and state government funded) can reach ₹50,000 per annum. However, such subsidised medical education can only be availed by a select few who perform exceedingly well in the NEET UG exam. The committee report says there are only 56,193 govt seats in MBBS and as per NTA (National testing Agency), more than 11 lakh candidates qualified for the NEET UG exam in 2023.

Therefore, the report points out, more than 10 lakh MBBS aspirants are left either to opt for MBBS seats in private medical colleges where the course fees can range up to ₹1.5 crore or to pursue their dream in countries like China, Ukraine, and Russia, where the cost is lower in comparison to private colleges in India