TN gets NMC relief as 35 GMCs given conditional approval

Chennai: In a major relief to the medical education sector in Tamil Nadu, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has given conditional approval to 35 government medical colleges, which received show-cause notices from the Apex Medical Commission in May this year.

Official sources informed The New Indian Express that all 35 colleges got the approval on the condition that they rectify the shortage of staff and other deficiencies specified in four months.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the National Medical Commission (NMC) slapped show-cause notices on Government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu for deficiencies in faculty and services, including labs and surgeries. The action was reportedly taken against all the government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, except Madras Medical College and Govt Coimbatore Medical College, and Hospital.

Among the 36 Government medical colleges (GMCs) in the State, these colleges reportedly had a shortage of staff in up to 95% of the departments, including the departments of general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, and dermatology. This was the most common deficiency that NMC highlighted in the show-cause notices issued to these medical colleges.

Also Read: NMC Shockwaves: 34 Tamil Nadu GMCs slapped Show-Cause Notices on deficiencies

The list of medical colleges that received the NMC show-cause included Stanley Medical College and Omandurar Medical College. NMC had given 7 days to the medical colleges for submitting written clarifications.

As per the latest media report by The New Indian Express, NMC started granting approval for the colleges last month, and officials informed that as of Tuesday, all the 36 medical colleges in the State have received approvals.

They further added that there were problems in implementing the Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system, which is being corrected. The NMC approval comes at a time when admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the academic year 2025-2026 is set to be held.

TNIE has reported that the selection committee under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research has been waiting for the NMC to release the counselling schedule. Officials informed that the counselling dates will be announced once the Commission releases the schedule.

TN Selection Committee has received altogether 72,943 applications for MBBS and BDS courses and June 29 was the last date to apply for the courses. There are altogether 36 government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu with an intake capacity for 5,050 MBBS seats.

Also Read: Facing Scrutiny over deficiencies, TN Medical Colleges reply to NMC notices