NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission has notified new regulations for the establishment of undergraduate medical colleges in the country, capping the maximum intake of MBBS students at 150 instead of the current 250 seats.
The new rules will be applicable for colleges being established from the 2024-25 academic session. Currently, a new UG medical college is allowed to induct 100 to 150 MBBS students and increase the count to a maximum 250.
“Applications for establishing new undergraduate medical education colleges shall be allowed only for 50/100/150 seats from 2024. Colleges seeking an increased number of seats cannot exceed a total of 150 MBBS students from 2024-25,” state the NMC’s 2023 regulations, superseding the 2020 rules.
Easing the establishment norms, the NMC has allowed medical colleges (which must have teaching hospitals and hostels for students and interns) to come up in two campuses, connected by a walking distance of not more than half an hour, instead of the currently mandated unitary campus. “Medical colleges shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in a given state or UT,” the NMC said to prevent the skewed growth of colleges. Past bulk approvals to medical colleges in some states caused institutions to mushroom in southern and western India, leaving the northern states underfed.
Among the 21 departments compulsory for a new medical college will be a new department of integrative medical research to combine contemporary and traditional medicine such as AYUSH systems. A Yoga department has been recommended, though not mandated. The department of radio oncology continues to be optional. The departments of emergency medicine and respiratory medicine, compulsory under 2020 regulations, do not feature in the list of 21 departments mandated under the 2023 rules.
The new regulations have come into force immediately upon notification and require doctors and staff to have minimum 75 per cent attendance through all working days excluding vacations.
“Daily Aadhaar-Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) of faculty and supporting staff, preferably along with face-linked recognition, shall be made available to the NMC as well as on the medical college website in the form of daily attendance dashboard…,” the rules say.