The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 50 new medical colleges, resulting in the addition of 8,195 MBBS seats. The total count of MBBS seats in India now exceeds 1,07,658. However, concerns have been raised regarding the de-recognition of medical colleges due to non-compliance. According to official sources, 20 out of the 50 colleges who faced de-recognition threats have lodged appeals with the NMC. In addition, 102 medical colleges have received show cause notices for non-compliance, and six colleges have lodged an appeal with the health ministry. Some of these colleges are located in states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and others. “The medical seats in these colleges are reduced from that total count pending inquiry,” the sources added.
The 50 newly approved medical colleges are located in various states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Assam, Haryana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh. The government considers this a significant increase in the number of medical colleges in the country since 2014.
The addition of new medical colleges will help in addressing the shortage of medical professionals in India. According to a report by the World Health Organization, India is short of 6,00,000 doctors and an equal number of nurses. With the approval of these new colleges, the Indian health system can take a progressive step towards addressing this shortfall. “This is an important achievement for the country, which has for long been struggling with a shortage of staff in the healthcare sector,” said a spokesperson.
The approval of 50 new medical colleges will significantly increase the number of MBBS seats available in the country. However, compliance issues remain a concern, and the authorities are taking action to ensure that medical colleges adhere to the required standards.
