NMC invites applications for starting new MD, MS, DM, MCh courses, increase of seats

New Delhi: Through a recent public notice, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has invited applications for starting new Post Graduate Broad and Super Specialty courses, or increase of MD/MS, DM/MCh seats for the academic year 2024-2025.

The applications along with the following documents can be sent to the NMC board till September 15, 2023-

(i) Valid Consent of Affiliation (CoA) in the prescribed proforma.

(ii) Details of Hospital and Department.

(iii) Revised fees along with UTR number as per Annexure - 1

NMC has clarified that "Only online application will be accepted". Before submitting the application, the Commission further asked the applicants to- fill the application as per the user guidelines as per Annexure- 2, use guidelines of rules and regulations of NMC, fill the application as per the rules and regulations as per the NMC gazette notifications. The Commission also asked the applicants to upload the relevant and valid documents only and clarified that "old and expired documents viz. EC and COA will not be accepted."

The NMC notice stated the following:

"Before submitting the application please following rules/regulations:

(1) Fill the application as per user guidelines as per Annexure - 2

(2) Use guidelines of Rules and Regulations of NMC as per link below: https://www.nmc.org.in/rules-regulations-nmc/

(3) Fill the application as per rules and regulations as per link below: https://www.nmc.org.in/e-gazette/e-gazette-nmc/

(4) Please upload the relevant and valid documents only old and expired documents viz. EC and COA will not be accepted.

(5) Only online application will be accepted."

"Before submitting the application ensure that all the documents and information are uploaded correctly. Incomplete application will not be entertained," the Commission further clarified in the public notice dated 16 August 2023.

Along with the notice, NMC has also attached the revised fees payable for different kinds of inspections. As per the Annexure- I, the revised fees for the inspection for the establishment of new medical college for MBBS are Rs 5 lakhs for 50 seats, Rs 10 lakhs for 100 seats and Rs 15 lakhs for 150 seats.

The fees for starting of PG or Higher Courses in Medical Colleges is Rs 5 lakhs upto to 4 seats & Rs. 1 lakh/seat for more than 4 seats. In the case of inspection for increase of admission capacity at UG/PG level, at the UG level, the fee is Rs 5 lakhs for 50 seats and at the PG level, it is Rs 5 lakhs per subject up to 4 seats and Rs 1 lakh/seat for more than 4 seats.

Further, the fee for the inspection for Recognition /verification of each compliance for U.G. course is Rs 3 lakh, Rs 75000 for recognition/verification of each compliance for PG course, Rs 3 lakhs for annual inspection/affiliation of UG courses, Rs 50,000/subject for annual inspection/affiliation of PG courses, Rs 25000 for name change of college, Rs 50,000 for name change of university, Rs 50,000 for University change, 10% of Application fee or 10% of monetary fine and for others Rs. 25,000 for appeal fee.  According to the Annexure, there is no change in Bank Guarantee fee except that it is to be submitted at the time of application.

Apart from this, NMC in the notice has also attached the guiding document for filing application for UG and PG courses AY 2024-2025 (new and increase in seats). The Guiding document includes the process of how to fill the application form for the establishment of medical institution, starting of new UG/PG medical courses. It also discussed the process of how to fill the application form, in respect of UG and PG courses, to increase the seats in the existing courses in a medical institution.

It also includes the details about the application fee, a step-wise process for accreditation for UG, PG admissions, and increase in seats, the details regarding sanctions and penalty, assessment and rating, redressal and appeal etc.

Further, the document includes the format for essentiality certificates, certificate regarding land use, format for consent of affiliation, format for consent of affiliation for an increase in seats, and other formats for UG and PG assessment forms.

Step-wise Process of Accreditation- the Timeline: 

UG Admissions:

According to the timeline of the step-wise process of accreditation for UG admissions, the process of application to NMC- including the filing of application form, fees, supporting documents has to be completed within August to September. The timeline for evaluation of application by NMC (rejected in case of incomplete or missing documents or approved in case of complete application as per norms) is between August to October, the timeline for physical inspection of the facilities by team of assessors appointed by NMC is between September to December. It also mentions that the process of evaluation of the assessment report submitted by Assessors will be done between October to January and the Grant of Permission or the LoP will be issued in February. The timeline for admission process is between July to August and for renewal inspection the timeline is 6 months before the new academic year.

PG Admissions: 

In the case of PG admissions, the process of online application to NMC will be done between August to September, the process of evaluation of application by NMC will be done between August to October, the process of physical inspection of the facilities by the NMC team of assessors will be done between September to December, the evaluation of the assessment report submitted by Assessors will be done between October to January, the Grant of Permission will be given in February, the admission process will be completed between July to August, and the renewal of inspection will be done every consecutive year till recognition.

Increase in Seats: 

The Guiding Document mentions that for increase of seats, the online application to NMC will have to be completed between August to September, the process of evaluation of application by NMC will be done between August and October, the physical inspection of the facilities by team of assessors will be done between September and December, the process of evaluation of the assessment report submitted by the Assessors will be done between October and January, and Grant of Permission or the LoP will be given in February, the admission process will be done between July and August and the renewal process will be done 6 months before the new academic year.

Sanctions and Penalty:

It shall be the duty of all medical institutions to follow the regulations and directions issued by the MARB, both in letter and spirit either within a specified time period or within a reasonable period of time, wherever the timelines are applicable.

Non-compliance defined– following acts or omissions of a medical institute shall amount to noncompliance–

• Non-compliance with any of the regulations, and notifications of the National Medical Commission issued from time to time.

• The medical institution has conducted in a manner which is not in accordance with the objectives of the medical institution and practices like ragging, exploiting students on fees etc.

• Deficiency in infrastructure, teaching staff, clinical material and others as prescribed by way of MSR or otherwise by UGMEB and/or PGMEB.

• Any act of misbehavior, non-cooperation, forbidding the inspection process etc., with the assessors representing the MARB or such other designated agency by the MARB in this regard.

• Physical misbehavior by teaching staff with the students, harassment of faculty and/or students by the management etc.

• False information declared for obtaining permission for any of the schemes including the establishment of a medical institution.

• Falsifying information or fabricating evidence at the time of inspection by the MARB or constituent autonomous boards or NMC-appointed third parties.

• Any attempt to bribe or pressurize or threaten assessors or officials of NMC.

• Any such act or omission as notified by the NMC in this regard.

Penalties– for any of the non-compliance or intentional attempt of non-compliance act or omission by the medical institution, the MARB shall either penalize the medical college or medical institution as per subsection (f) of section 26 of the Act and/or conduct further enquiry into such incident or act, and wherever needed provide an opportunity to rectify the same.

Without prejudice to anything stated in Section 30 above the imposition of the penalty may include one/more/ all of the following:

• Issuance of warning with accommodation of reasonable time for compliance or rectification as the case may be by the medical institution.

• Monetary penalty not exceeding INR one crore per every non-compliance committed by the medical institution.

• Withholding processing of application for any new scheme/s for that academic year or for a such number of years.

• Reducing the number of students in the next or subsequent academic years to be admitted by the medical institution.

• Stoppage of admission to one or more of the courses in the next or subsequent academic years.

• Recommending to NMC for withdrawal of recognition.

• Withholding and withdrawal of rating of the medical institution for a period up to five academic years.

• Any attempt to pressurize MARB or NMC through individuals or agency will lead to immediate halt of the processing the application/request by the medical Institution.

Provided that the medical institution, may be granted a reasonable opportunity to rectify the deficiencies and any further action shall be taken if it fails to meet the requisite norms.

Provided further that, the MARB or the Commission may also initiate criminal proceedings for furnishing false information, or fabrication of false documents as per the criminal law in force at that time.

Assessment and Rating: 

Assessment and Rating Assessment by the MARB for the purpose of rating a medical institution –

The MARB shall conduct an assessment and rating of all medical institutions and shall be vested with all such authority in discharging its functions under the Act.

Provided, without prejudice to anything stated in these Regulations, the MARB may appoint one or more independent third-party agency or agencies to conduct an assessment and rating of medical institutions, and on its behalf.

Provided further the MARB may prepare detailed guidelines in appointing independent third-party agency or agencies to carry on the work of assessment and rating of medical institutions.

Provided further that, if appointed the independent third-party agency or agencies shall have such power as indicated in their appointment letter issued by the MARB.

The MARB may seek any information, clarification, documents, or digital material from any medical institution at any time for the purpose of assessment and rating.

In furtherance, the MARB shall conduct an assessment of all or a specific number or any individual medical institution, either directly by itself or through such designated agency or agencies.

Without prejudice to anything stated in these regulations, the MARB shall develop such methodology whereby, the medical colleges or medical institutions are continuously monitored for their performance, leading to assessment and rating.

Notwithstanding anything stated elsewhere, either in these regulations or otherwise, the MARB rating shall be based on the following parameters, with such due weightage assigned to the respective parameters viz.,

a. Compliance with the standards laid down by the UGMEB and PGMEB.

b. Academic excellence shown through innovative methods of teaching adopted and courses (other than prescribed) offered to the students.

c. The research output of the medical institution that has contributed to the existing knowledge and the research impact created by the medical institution.

d. Student discipline and satisfactory teaching and learning environment created by the medical institution.

e. The student feedback on various affairs of the medical institution, with due weightage assigned to them.

f. Participation of students/faculty in academic activities at national and international level.

g. Standards/facilities/participation in sports and social activities.

h. Any other evaluable criteria may be notified by the MARB from time to time.

Provided, without prejudice to the above the MARB shall notify the criteria for assessment and rating of the medical institutions, from time to time.

Publication of rating – the MARB shall make available on its website or otherwise in the public domain the latest annual assessment results and ratings of medical colleges or medical institutions, in such a manner as to facilitate public understanding and consumption.

Submission of annual disclosure reports – all medical institutions shall furnish a Compulsory Annual Disclosure Report to UGMEB and/or PGMEB in compliance with the norms specified under the Act in the prescribed format and prescribed fee, with a copy to the MARB.

Provided the compulsory annual disclosure report shall be made once all students for the academic year are admitted to a given course and not later than thirty days to be calculated from the date of the last student‘s admission.

Notwithstanding anything stated elsewhere, failure to submit the annual disclosure report by the medical institution as indicated in Section 26 within a notified period shall amount to non-compliance and shall result in disciplinary proceedings under Chapter-V below.

Provided that, medical Institutions can use the Annual Disclosure as a form of self-appraisal and request the MARB for a voluntary decrease of seats/courses and also seek for restitution of seats / courses appropriately

Redressal and Appeal: 

Appeal to the Commission–

A medical institution or any such aggrieved person may file an appeal before the Commission with appropriate fees as specified against any orders passed or decision taken by the MARB which shall comprise the following –

a. Disapproval of a scheme.

b. Where no decision is taken within six months of applying or request to the MARB for approval of any of the schemes.

c. Imposition of penalty as per Section 31 of these Regulations.

Provided such an appeal to the Commission is filed within fifteen days of passing an order or decision taken by the MARB.

Appeal to Central Government–

Where an applicant is aggrieved by the decision of the Commission under Section 15 or where the Commission fails to give its decision within forty-five days from the date of receipt of such an appeal, a second appeal may be filed before the Central Government within thirty days from the date of such order or lapse of time, as the case may be.

To view the NMC notice and guiding document, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-notice-for-applications-for-pg-courses-216659.pdf

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