PG Medical Admissions: Maharashtra invites opinion on NMC Fee Order for 50 percent private medical college seats

Mumbai: With only a few days left for the publication of seat allotment list for the Postgraduate medical courses, the State Medical Education Department of Maharashtra has asked its stakeholders about their opinion on the National Medical Commission's fee order that wants to regulate fees in 50 per cent seats of private medical institutes.

Such a decision has been taken by the Government because of the ongoing PG medical admission process and the repeated requests by the aspirants and their parents who demanded clarity on NMC's proposal for implementing Government fees in 50 per cent PG medical seats.

Although earlier this year, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had issued an Office Memorandum and directed to implement Government fees for 50 per cent private medical college seats, the order has been challenged before several courts in India.

In the Fee order issued in February 2022, NMC had mentioned, "After extensive consultations, it has been decided that the fee of the 50 per cent seats in the private medical colleges and deemed universities should be at par with the fee in the government medical colleges of that particular State and UT. The benefit of this fee structure would be first made available to those candidates who have availed government quota seats, but are limited to the extent of 50 per cent of the total sanctioned strength of the respective medical college/deemed university."

"However, if the government quota seats are less than 50 per cent of total sanctioned seats, the remaining candidates would avail the benefit of a fee equivalent to the government medical college fees, based purely on the merit," the Commission had added.

Although the move had been highly appreciated by the medical aspirants across India, the private medical college managements had challenged the order since it failed to take into consideration the plights of the private medical institutes who pay lakhs and crores of money to set up the infrastructure. Pleas had been filed before Madras High Court, Kerala High Court and also the Supreme Court.

Previously, while considering similar pleas, the Kerala High Court had clarified that the concerned Fee order will not be applicable in Kerala. Similarly, the Madras High Court had asked NMC to reconsider its decision and issue fresh guidelines as necessary. In its order, the Madras HC expressed concern over the possibility of several seats going vacant because of the high fees in the other 50 percent seats in the self-financed institutes. However, the matter is still pending before the Supreme Court.

Also Read: SC agrees to hear plea challenging NMC Fee order today

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that amid all this, the private medical colleges in Maharashtra had demanded subsidy from the Government for implementing the NMC rule. Approaching the State, the Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Maharashtra (AMUPMDC) had demanded to either drop the NMC fee diktat or allow subsidies to the colleges for its implementation.

Issuing a Statement in this regard, the Association had shared the annual expenses and the budget of the four State-run medical colleges in order to compare the same with the fees in the private medical colleges. With the comparison, the association highlighted the losses that the colleges might face as a result of the forced implementation of the NMC fee order.

Instead of implementing the Government fees in the 50 percent private medical college seats, several medical colleges and deemed-to-be institutes in Maharashtra increased their PG medical fees for this academic year. In several colleges, fees have been increased by as much as Rs 10 lakh per annum. For instance, the aspirants who wish to pursue their course in MD Radio-diagnosis or dermatology at MGM Medical College need to pay Rs 35 lakh per annum now instead of the earlier fees of Rs 25 lakh.

Also Read: Maharashtra Private Medical Colleges demand Subsidy for implementing Govt fees in 50 percent seats

As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, in such a situation, the State Medical Education Department of Maharashtra has invited opinions from all stakeholders regarding the implementation of NMC fee order.

Speaking to the daily regarding this, a PG medical aspirant said, "Every year admissions get delayed because the state government or central admissions body does not clarify rules beforehand. Despite two circulars by the NMC this year, most state governments have not announced whether the rule will be applicable or not."

While the aspirants are counting on the implementation of NMC fee order, the heads of the private medical colleges have clarified that implementing NMC rule will result in financial strain and losses to the instututes.

In this context, chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Institute of Health Sciences, and president of the Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Maharashtra (AMUPMDC), Kamal Kishore Kadam said, "Unless the state government helps us with subsidies or financial aid, it is impossible for unaided institutes to give 50% of their seats on the fee structure of government medical colleges."

Also Read: Amid confusion on NMC fee order, PG Medical Education in Maharashtra gets costlier