After Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh oppose NMC Rule of 100 MBBS Seats for 10 Lakh Population Ratio

Chennai: The National Medical Commission's (NMC) rule of capping the number of MBBS seats in a particular State/UT is being strongly opposed by the Southern States as many of them have now become ineligible to apply for any new medical college or add more MBBS seats.

After Karnataka, the NMC prescribed ratio of 100 MBBS seats for every 10 lakh population is now being strongly opposed by other southern States such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Kerala, on the other hand, has decided to seek relaxation on the basis of specific requirements.

Expressing concern over this new NMC rule, recently YSRCP MP Vijaya Sai Reddy tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), “The decision of the National Medical Council to allocate medical education seats according to the population of a State is grossly unfair. AP should not be punished for having controlled its population growth.”

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Government is planning to write to the Union Government and express its reservations regarding the newly released "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", implemented by the National Medical Commission.

Earlier, the Health Secretary of Tamil Nadu Gagandeep Singh referred to the State's policy of setting up a medical college in every district to ensure equal distribution of doctors and tertiary care facilities and told a leading daily, "Also, why should we look at Tamil Nadu data alone? The country needs more doctors. If Chennai can work well as a medical hub for the rest of India, doctors from here can work in other states too. When we have the facilities and requirements we must be permitted to start new facilities."

The latest media report by Deccan Herald adds that opposing these new NMC guidelines capping the MBBS seats in a State/UT, Tamil Nadu will soon write to the Union Government. Top sources informed the Daily that writing to the Centre, the State Government will express its reservations regarding the NMC rules.

Mentioning that the State feels that these rules will put pokes in the State's plans to have at least one medical college in each district, the source further informed the Daily, “We believe these are artificial restrictions. The letter will stress that states should be allowed to launch medical colleges according to their needs. Also, there is no guarantee that a student who passes out from TN will work only in the state. He can work anywhere in the country.”

In the proposed letter, the Tamil Nadu Government will also referred to the fact that these guidelines may be in contradiction with the rulings of the Supreme Court, informed the Source.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back in September 2022, the Supreme Court had overturned the moratorium that was placed by the Pharmacy Council of India on the opening of new pharmacy colleges in the country. 

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the statutory body under the Central Government, regulates the pharmacy education and practice of' profession in the country by prescribing the minimum standard of education required for qualification for registration as a pharmacist. PCI had imposed a ban on the opening of new pharmacy colleges till 2024-2025.

However, last year, the Supreme Court directed the PCI to accept and process the applications of new pharmacy colleges which had moved the Delhi and Karnataka high courts against a moratorium issued by the statutory body.

Back then, while reiterating that the right to establish education institutes was a fundamental right, the top court had said that the State could impose reasonable restrictions "only by a law" and not by an executive order.

Also Read: Supreme Court ends Pharmacy Council of India ban on opening new Pharmacy Colleges

Kerala to seek Relaxations on a "case-to-case basis": 

While Tamil Nadu is planning to write to the Centre expressing its opposition against the NMC rules, Kerala has decided to seek relaxations on a "case-to-case basis".

Deccan Herald adds that the Principal Secretary (Health) of Kerala, Mohammed Hanish has informed that the State would seek relaxations on the basis of specific requirements.

"The state will generally follow the NMC guidelines. But relaxations will be sought whenever required by pointing out the state’s needs to the Centre,” he informed.

Sources informed the DH that the State might seek relaxations for two new medical colleges in Wayanad and Kasargoid districts, citing “inadequate representation” of the region.

Meanwhile, commenting on the matter, Senior advocate Sanjay R Hegde opined that a total ban on starting new medical colleges cannot be justified in the name of regulations. He further pointed out that setting up an institute is a fundamental right granted under the Constitution.

He told DH, “The NMC Act was formulated to regulate medical education. In the garb of regulation, you cannot extinguish the right to create new professional medical colleges. The doctor-to-population ratio in India is nowhere near to what the world has. Irrespective of the region the medico hails from, he will be from India.”

“Medical education is not a commodity like cement or sugar where courts have imposed bans based on availability of raw materials,” he further added.

As per the data shared by MoS Health Dr. Pawar earlier this year, Kerala has altogether 4605 medical seats, while the State's projected population is 3.57 crore. Therefore, going by the NMC rules, there should not be more than 3,577 medical seats in the State.

Also Read: More Population, more medical colleges, less population, less medical colleges- Is it good for advanced states?