NMC Receives 170 Applications for Establishment of New Medical Colleges, Increase of MBBS Seats, finalises process

New Delhi: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has received altogether 170 applications for the establishment of new medical colleges and an increase of MBBS seats in the existing medical institutes.

Among these, 112 applications were submitted to NMC MARB for setting up new medical colleges and the Commission received 58 applications for the increase of MBBS seats in existing medical colleges.

NMC informed this through a public notice dated 02.04.2024 and further stated that it has finalised the application process for the academic year 2024-2025.

"In continuation of Medical Assessment & Rating Board (MARB) guidelines for the Academic Year(A.Y.) : 2024-2025 (uploaded on the NMC website ,dt. 16.11.2023), the MARB has finalised the Application Process for the A.Y. 2024-25," NMC mentioned in the notice.

Along with the notice, NMC also shared the process of applications for the establishment of new medical colleges and increasing MBBS seats.

Application Process for Establishment of New Medical Colleges: 

Referring to the application process for establishment of new medical colleges, MARB informed in the notice that it received a total of 112 applications for the establishment of new medical collegesfor the AY 2024- 25.

"Applications were reviewed by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) on the basis of Establishment of medical institutions, assessment and rating regulations, 2023 published on 2nd June, 2023, UG- MSR 2023 issued on 16th August, 2023 (As per Public notice No. U-11022/3/2023-UGMEB Dated: 15.11.2023 - Deferment of the clause regarding provisions of ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population for one year - Undergraduate Medical Education Board, National Medical Commission that the “OBJECTIVE” clause under Chapter-1 of "Guidelines for Under Graduate Courses under Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023" (notified by UGMEB on 16 th August, 2023) shall be implemented from academic year 2025-26.), and strictly adhering to the criteria mentioned in public notice for inviting applications on NMC website dated 18th August 2023 and 16th November 2023," NMC mentioned in the notice.

As per NMC, the applications for setting up new medical colleges and increase of MBBS seats were processed by - scrutiny of applications on various levels, AEBAS registration and compliance submission, physical inspection and review and final decision. It also informed that NMC will publish the results after completion of the whole process and before the first round of counselling.

STEP 1-Scrutiny of application on various levels:

MARB informed that 112 applications for the establishment of new medical colleges for the AY 2024-2025 has been completed on different successive levels and thereafter competent authorities reviewed and approved it.

This scrutiny included detailed review of the parameters/supporting documents (self attested, preferably digital signature) such as Essentiality certificate (EC), Consent of Affiliation (CoA), Application fees, Bank guarantee, relevant certificates, proof of establishment of corpus fund, proof of land ownership/lease , details of owning or running hospital, Infrastructure, clinical material, Equipment, Educational and functional plans, administrative and financial capability, etc., informed NMC.

STEP 2-AEBAS registration and Compliance submission:

As per MARB, those of the applicants will be found to be fulfilling all the required criteria of scrutiny, will be instructed to register their faculty on AEBAS and also submit their joining letters duly signed by competent authority to the Commission within a defined timeline.

However, if a medical college/institution does not fulfill all/any of the required criteria mentioned in step 1, the Commission would issue a Show Cause Notice to rectify the deficiency/deficiencies, perform self-assessment for reconsideration of number of requested seats as per the UG- MSR 2023 (for example 220 beds for 50 seats, 420 for 100 seats and 605 for 150 seats etc.) and submit the compliance report duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal (preferably digital signature) on each page within a defined timeline.

After submitting the compliance report, the concerned institute will be directed to register their faculty on AEBAS and submit their joining letters duly signed by competent authority to NMC within a defined timeline.

"This faculty and other staff (demonstrators, tutors, senior residents) must match the proposed intake commensurate with the available bed strength of the hospital (see above) according to UGMSR, 2023," NMC mentioned in the notice.

"Kindly note that the submission of above mentioned documents is a part of assessment/inspection/AEBAS registration process and not a final decision of approval/disapproval," it further clarified.

STEP 3-Physical inspection: 

NMC informed that Physical inspection will only be conducted after verification of all required/essential documents and AEBAS registration. 

Random selection of assessors: 

In order to maintain transparency and avoid selection bias, randomized assessor selection process by computer will be implemented. In order to do the same, the following criteria/points will be considered:

i. Assessor should not be from within the same state as to be inspected medical college/institution.

ii. No two assessors from same college or district to be selected for assessment of same medical college.

iii. Only Government medical college assessors of Professor or 10 years of faculty experience at the level of associate professor with four years of teaching experience in that level are eligible for conducting the assessment.

iv. The assessor should not be working in the same medical college nor have any close relatives who are working or studying in that medical college.

v. The assessor should also not be an alumnus of that medical college.

After selecting the assessor, the availability of the assessors for a defined timeline will be confirmed via telephonic conversation and the concerned confirmed assessors will randomly be divided into groups of six, whilst keeping the above mentioned criteria in mind.

"Randomization of assessor for inspection of medical college/institution will be done by our exclusive software or using a computer in the presence of committee," NMC informed.

STEP 4-Review and Final decision:

After conducting the physical inspection, the assessors will submit duly filled and signed SAF by Dean/Principal (preferably digital signature) on each page along with necessary photos, videos, etc. as per the rules and regulations of NMC. Thereafter Experts will review/scrutiny the duly filled and signed inspection report/SAF and it will be submitted to MARB for final decision along with the recommendations by the Expert Committee (as per MARB guidelines).

MARB shall communicate its decision of permission or otherwise to the medical college/institution as per defined timeline. For eligible entity with verified bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable, Letter of permission (LOP) will be issued as per sec 28(3) of the NMC Act, 2019.

However, for the eligible entity who have not submitted bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable at the time of submission of application, Letter of intent (LOI) will be issued followed by Letter of Permission (LOP) after receipt and verification of bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable, the Commission informed.

Those of the colleges which will receive Show Cause Notice, they will submit the compliance report (including self assessment for reconsideration of number of requested seats as per UGMSR 2023, if applicable) duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal on EACH page (preferably digital signature) within stipulated time period. After receiving the same, the process of review and final decision will be conducted.

However, NMC informed that if the medical college/institute does not fulfill the minimum standard requirements/rectification of deficiencies, it will be subjected to disapproval and order will be issued for the same as per sec 28(3) of the NMC Act, 2019.

"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/institution as per section 26(f) of the NMC Act, 2019, and/or conduct further enquiry into such incident or act, and whenever needed provide an opportunity to rectify the same," NMC mentioned in the notice.

"Kindly note that physical inspection does not guarantee an approval decision by MARB. If any deficiency in the application or faculty attendance is detected after, the appropriate decision will be taken by MARB," it further added.

STEP 5-Publication of results:

The Commission informed that as per Chapter IV Section 25 of the “Establishment of medical institutions, assessment and rating regulations, 2023”, MARB shall make available on its website or otherwise in the public domain the latest annual assessment results and ratings of medical colleges/institutions, in such a manner as to facilitate public understanding and consumption.

It further added that the latest annual assessment results and ratings of medical colleges/institutes will be published after the completion of the whole process and before the first round of counselling.

However, MARB is free to share any related and appropriate data of each college to promote transparency and be informative to all relevant stakeholders," clarified the Commission.

Application Process for Increase of MBBS Seats in Existing Medical Colleges: 

Informing that MARB received 58 applications for the increase of MBBS seats in the existing medical colleges for the Academic Year 2024-2025, NMC further added that the applications were reviewed by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) based on the Establishment of medical institutions, assessment and rating regulations, 2023 published on 2nd June, 2023, UG-MSR 2023 issued on 16th August, 2023, and strictly adhering to the criteria mentioned in the public notice for inviting applications on NMC website dated 18th August 2023.

These applications are processed by following the steps including - scrutiny of applications on various levels, AEBAS and compliance submission, review of compliance report/affidavit/self-assessment /AEBAS data, final decision, and publication of results.

STEP 1-Scrutiny of application on various levels:

MARB informed that all 58 applications for the increase of MBBS seats were completed on different successive levels, and the same had been reviewed as well as approved by the competent authority.

As per MARB, the scrutiny process included detailed review of the parameters/supporting documents (selfattested, preferably digital signature) such as Consent of Affiliation (CoA), Application fees, Bank guarantee, relevant certificates such as constitution registration/incorporation, approved seats and recognition status, etc. and AEBAS data report (1st Jan 2024 to 29th Feb 2024).

STEP 2-AEBAS and Compliance submission: 

Medical Colleges found to fulfill all the required criteria mentioned in step 1 will be restricted to submit/upload a sworn affidavit along with self-assessment Form (internal assessment by the College) duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal, Nodal Officer and at least 2 HODs (both clinical and non-clinical) (preferably digital signature) on EACH page within a defined timeline. NMC further informed that the Link for the website/portal will be given.

However, if the medical college/institution does not fulfill all/any of the required criteria mentioned in step 1, NMC will issue a Show Cause Notice (SCN) to rectify the deficiency/deficiencies, perform self-assessment for reconsideration of number of requested seats as per the UG-MSR 2023 and submit the compliance report duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal, Nodal Officer and at least 2 HODs (both clinical and nonclinical) (preferably digital signature) on EACH page within a defined timeline.

NMC further highlighted that as per UG-MSR 2023, colleges seeking an increase of the number of seats cannot exceed a total of 150 MBBS students from the year 2024-2025.

"With the exception that the colleges who had applied for Academic Year 2023-24 for increase seats but failed to get the same, can ask for the number (totaling 200 or 250) that was in their previous application for one time in the year 2024-25 only," NMC added.

As per the Commission, if the compliance report is found to be satisfactory then the College will be directed to submit/upload a sworn affidavit along with a self-assessment Form (internal assessment by the College) duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal and at least 4 HODs (both clinical and non-clinical) (preferably digital signature) on EACH page within a defined timeline. NMC will provide the link for the website/portal.

"Kindly note that the submission of above mentioned documents is a part of assessment/inspection and not a final decision of approval/disapproval. If any deficiency in the application or faculty attendance is detected after, the appropriate decision will be taken by MARB," mentioned the Commission.

STEP 3-Review of Compliance report/ Affidavit/Self-Assessment/AEBAS data :

College authority will be required to upload/submit the following documents as applicable for review:

Duly filled and signed SAF (internal assessment by College) and sworn affidavit by Dean/Principal and at least 4 HODs (both clinical and non-clinical) (preferably digital signature) on EACH page within a defined timeline along with necessary photos, videos, etc. as per the rules and regulations of NMC.

Duly filled and signed Compliance report by Dean/Principal and at least 2 HODs (both clinical and non-clinical) (preferably digital signature) on EACH page to rectify the deficiency/deficiencies including AEBAS data.

Compliance of self-assessment for reconsideration of number of requested seats as per UG- MSR 2023.

Thereafter a Review/scrutiny of the duly filled and signed (as mentioned above) sworn affidavit along with SAF (internal assessment by College) and compliance reports/AEBAS data will be conducted by the Experts.

"Also, MARB reserves the right to conduct physical surprise inspection anytime for verification of details mentioned in self-assessment Form (internal assessment by College) submitted by the college as per section 28(7) of the NMC Act, 2019," the Commission highlighted.

STEP 4-Final Decision :

NMC informed that MARB shall communicate its decision of permission or otherwise to the medical college/institution as per the defined timeline. For eligible entity with verified bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable, Letter of permission (LOP) will be issued as per sec 28(3) of the NMC Act, 2019.

However, for the eligible entity who have not submitted bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable at the time of submission of application, Letter of intent (LOI) will be issued followed by Letter of Permission (LOP) after receipt and verification of bank guarantee and/or undertaking as applicable.

Those colleges that will receive Show Cause Notice will have to submit duly filled and signed by Dean/Principal, Nodal Officer and at least 2 HODs (both clinical and non-clinical) on EACH page (preferably digital signature) compliance report (including self-assessment for reconsideration of number of requested seats as per UG- MSR 2023, if applicable) within stipulated time period.

After receiving the compliance report, the process of review and final decision will be followed. 

In case of non-fulfillment of minimum standard requirements/rectification of deficiencies, the medical college/institution will be subjected to disapproval and order will be issued for the same as per sec 28(3) of the NMC Act, 2019, NMC informed.

"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/institution as per section 26(f) of the NMC Act, 2019, and/or conduct further enquiry into such incident or act, and whenever needed provide an opportunity to rectify the same," it further added.

STEP 5-Publication of results:

As per Chapter IV Section 25 of the "Establishment of medical institutions, assessment and rating regulations, 2023, MARB shall make available on its website or otherwise in the public domain the latest annual assessment results and ratings of medical colleges/institutions, in such a manner as to facilitate public understanding and consumption, NMC informed.

This will be done after completion of the whole process and before the first round of counseling. However, MARB is free to share any related and appropriate data of each college to promote transparency and be informative to all relevant stakeholders, the Commission clarified.

To view the NMC notice, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-notice-dated-02042024-235545.pdf

Also Read: NMC issues guidelines for assessment, rating of medical colleges from 2024-25 academic year, key takeaways