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.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that these guidelines, which were published in the official Gazette on August 16, 2023, restricted the intake capacity for the new medical colleges being set up from the academic year 2024-2025 to a maximum number of 150 MBBS seats. Apart from this, these rules also clarified that the medical colleges also have to follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in that concerned State/U.T.
"After A.Y. 2023-24, Letter of permission (LOP) for starting of new medical colleges shall be issued only for annual intake capacity of 50/100/150 seats; Provided that medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in that state/ U.T.," stated the Guidelines.
As a result of this new rule, several southern states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Telangana might lose their eligibility to apply for any new medical college or add more MBBS seats.
Tamil Nadu has a projected population of a little more than 8 crore. Earlier this year, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Parliament about the number of available seats in India and in respective States/UTs. According to the data shared by MoS Health, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of 11,225 MBBS seats in 72 medical colleges. Among these, 5225 MBBS seats are in 38 government medical colleges and altogether 6000 MBBS seats are in 34 private medical colleges.
Therefore, considering the NMC rule regarding the ratio of MBBS seats and the total population, Tamil Nadu is no longer eligible to apply for new medical colleges.
On the other hand, the projected population of Andhra Pradesh is 5.34 crore as of 2021 and as per the data shared by MoS Health Dr. Pawar earlier this year, the State has 5635 seats. Among these, 2485 MBBS seats are available in 13 Government medical colleges and there are another 3150 MBBS seats in 19 private medical colleges.
As per the latest media report by The New Indian Express, there are 6,435 existing medical seats in the State. Therefore, taking the NMC MBBS seats per population ratio into consideration, there should be 5346 medical seats in Andhra Pradesh and it has already crossed the mark set by the Apex Medical Commission.
NMC Rules Being Opposed in Andhra Pradesh:
Referring to the situation, the Vice-Chancellor of Dr. YSR University of Health Sciences, Dr. Korukonda Babji told TNIE, "We haven’t received any notification neither from the Central government nor the NMC.”
Further emphasising that the Central Government can suggest controlling the medical seats on the basis of population but cannot mandate decreasing them, Babji explained, “Medical colleges in AP operate with a 60:40 ratio of funding between the Central and State governments.”
He also expressed his concern regarding the fact that exceeding seat limits might result in jeopardising the support from the Union Government.
Meanwhile, referring to the NMC notification, the General Secretary of the AP Junior Doctors' Association (APJUDA) Dr. CH Chaitanya Kumar mentioned that the demand of the aspirants for more seats and colleges might result in a decrease in the quality of education.
He also highlighted the fact that the inspections were diluted because of the online processes during the pandemic. He also stated, “After completing undergraduate studies in medicine, opportunities may become a significant problem.”
Referring to the issue, the General Secretary of Praja Arogya Vedika, an NGO working on people’s health issues, T Kameswara Rao pointed out that "The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests one doctor for 1,000 population; the NMC’s decision is far from WHO’s guidelines.”
He also urged the Central Government to ensure the quality of education and highlighted the fact that countries like Cuba and States like Kerala have successfully managed the pandemic because of a higher doctor-to-population ratio. “People globally overcame the pandemic with the support of doctors,” he said.
Also Read: Karnataka Opposes NMC Rule of 100 MBBS Seats for 10 Lakh Population Ratio
Opposition in Tamil Nadu:
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."
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, NMC's move to cap medical seats in the southern states has now been condemned by TNCC President K S Alagiri as well. He said that Chief Minister M K Stalin should ensure that Tamil Nadu's MBBS seats are not taken away from it. He further added that such a move would deprive Tamil Nadu of nearly 4,000 medical seats.
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.
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