NMC order to reduce fees for 50% Seats in Private Medical Colleges

Due to the high fees, medical seats at private colleges in India are tough to obtain. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to provide private universities with guidelines on how much tuition can be. At least 50% of the seats should have fees comparable to those charged by government colleges. From the following academic year, medical school will be affordable in all private medical colleges and universities in India (2022-23).

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has ordered that private universities’ rates for 50% of their medical seats must be comparable to those of the state’s public colleges. Both undergraduate (MBBS) and graduate (MD) medical programs will be subject to the NMC’s guidelines for private colleges. Those who have obtained admission through the government quota are subject to the new fee schedule. If the government quota falls below 50%, the remaining students will be eligible for the government fee based on their merit (up to 50%).

Due to the delay caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, the admissions procedure for 2021–2022 has not yet been finished. The subsequent batch would be subject to the revised fee schedule. From the following academic year, Kerala will also follow the new standard. On February 3, the NMC issued a directive regarding imposing government fees on 50% of the seats in private medical schools and considered institutions. The NMC intends to support education rather than profit. Any capitation fee collection is prohibited. The NMC has clarified that these rules would be implemented aggressively starting the next academic year. The initial budget for Kerala’s MBBS admission for 2021–2022 has been completed. Option registration starts on March 8. On March 14, there will be a second allocation.

According to official sources, the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines stating that the tuition for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities should be equal to that of the government medical colleges of a particular state will go into effect for the following academic session. They said that the fee fixation committees of each state’s medical colleges would be required to implement the rules voluntarily.

Medical seats at government rates in private colleges

The National Medical Council (NMC) said in an office memo dated February 3 that it had been agreed that the tuition rates for 50% of the seats in private medical schools and deemed universities should be equal to those of the government medical colleges in a given state or Union Territory. The office document states that the benefit of this fee structure will first be made available to candidates who have applied for government quota seats, but only up to 50 per cent of the institute’s total sanctioned capacity.

The letter published on February 3 indicated that the remaining candidates would benefit from paying a fee similar to that in government medical colleges, based solely on merit, if the proportion of sanctioned government seats falls below 50%. The panel shall establish guidelines for the determination of fees and all other charges for 50% of the seats in private medical institutions and deemed-to-be universities governed by the provisions of this legislation, following section 10 (1) (i) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019.

The Center had asked the former Board of Governors, which took the place of the former NMC, to develop the fee-fixation rules for the NMC to review when it was eventually formed.

On November 23, 2019, the BoG-MCI and, later, the NMC established an expert committee. The expert panel suggested 26 broad draft recommendations for MBBS and post-graduation course fees and other costs for private medical institutions and deemed-to-be universities.

NMC requested suggestions on private colleges’ medical fees

On May 25 of last year, the rules were posted on the NMC website, and the public was encouraged to comment. On October 21, 2021, the NMC convened a second expert panel. This panel reviewed submissions and delivered the updated guidelines. The NMC approved the panel’s recommendations during its meeting on December 29 of the previous year. No institution should impose a capitation fee in any way, shape, or form, following the standards that would be applied in determining the prices and other charges in private medical colleges and considered universities.

Particular	Seats
Government colleges for MBBS in India	355
Private colleges for MBBS in India	299

It must be ensured that the principle of education is “not for profit” is upheld. Therefore, all operating and other costs associated with maintaining and administering the institutions must be included in the fees. The guidelines dictate that the fees should not include high costs and astronomical profit margins.

The AIADMK requests that the government secure 50% of the seats in U.T. private medical schools.

The government has been advised to secure 50% of the seats in private medical colleges in the Union Territory by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. A. Anbalagan, party secretary, east, said at a press conference here on Friday that the government should secure 50% of the seats from private medical institutions this year without fail. According to him, successive governments have been unable to reserve seats from for-profit medical facilities.

The past governments were only able to win 36% of the seats. Due to the administration’s failure, students from the Union Territory were denied the opportunity to enrol in medical colleges under the government’s quota system. The Central Government released the required guidelines for setting the fee structure in private medical colleges and Deemed Universities. He noted that according to guidelines released by the Center in February, tuition at private medical schools and deemed universities should be comparable to those at government medical schools in the states and Union Territories.

The U.T. government need not schedule meetings with representatives of private medical colleges to discuss the price structure once the guidelines have been released. According to him, the government should decide to follow the rules.

50% of seats in private medical colleges (Fee guidelines) Implementation

According to official sources, the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines stating that the tuition for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities should be equal to that of the government medical colleges of a particular state will go into effect for the following academic session. They said that the fee fixation committees of each state’s medical colleges would be required to implement the rules voluntarily. The National Medical Council (NMC) said in an office memo dated February 3 that it had been agreed that the tuition rates for 50% of the seats in private medical schools and deemed universities should be equal to those of the government medical colleges in a given state or Union Territory. The OM states that the benefit of this price structure will first be made available to candidates who have applied for government quota seats, but only up to 50% of the institute’s total sanctioned capacity.

The letter published on February 3 indicated that the remaining candidates would benefit from paying a fee similar to that in government medical colleges, based solely on merit if the government quota seats are fewer than 50% of the total sanctioned seats. The panel shall establish guidelines for determining fees and all other charges for 50% of the seats in private medical institutions and deemed-to-be universities governed by the provisions of this legislation, following section of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019. The Center had asked the former Board of Governors, which took the place of the former NMC, to develop the fee-fixation rules for the NMC to review when it was eventually formed. On November 23, 2019, the BoG-MCI and, later, the NMC established an expert committee.

The expert panel suggested 26 broad draft recommendations for MBBS and post-graduation course fees and other costs for private medical institutions and deemed to-be universities. On May 25 of the previous year, the rules were posted on the NMC website, and the public was encouraged to comment. There were about 1,800 answers sent. The NMC assembled a second expert panel on October 21, 2021, who reviewed the replies and provided the updated draft guidelines. The NMC approved the panel’s recommendations during its meeting on December 29 of the previous year. No institution should impose a capitation fee in any way, shape, or form, following the standards that would be applied in determining the prices and other charges in private medical colleges and considered universities.

It must be made sure that the principle of education is “not for profit” is upheld to the letter. Therefore, all overhead costs and other costs associated with maintaining and administering the institutions must be included in the fees. According to the principles, excessive expenses and excessive profit components should not be allowed to be added to the fees.

NMC Order to reduce 50% Seats in Private Medical Colleges [Official PDF]

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