Is setting up medical colleges district-wise causing imbalance? Parliamentary Panel gives response
New Delhi: A recent report by a Parliamentary Committee has highlighted the critical need to overhaul the existing method of sanctioning medical colleges in India.
The Committee strongly recommended that the sanctioning of medical colleges should be based on population rather than on a district-wise basis. According to the report, the current district-wise allocation creates an imbalance in the hospital-to-population ratio, leaving some regions with an excess of facilities while others remain grossly underserved.
The Committee’s findings underline that the district-wise approach, by failing to account for the actual population density and healthcare needs, results in an inequitable distribution of medical education infrastructure. As the report explicitly states,
"The sanctioning of Medical colleges should be on the basis of population and not district-wise as this creates imbalance in Hospital to population ratio. Moreover, the quality of Medicine and Nursing education should be as per National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and the global best practices."
A population-based approach to sanctioning medical colleges ensures that healthcare facilities are distributed more equitably across regions, addressing the actual healthcare needs of the population. This method considers the density and demographics of the population, ensuring that medical colleges are established in areas where they are most needed.
The Committee also highlights the importance of maintaining high standards in medical and nursing education. It recommends that the quality of education should adhere to National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and global best practices. This will ensure that medical professionals are well-trained and capable of providing high-quality healthcare services.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported in September 2023, releasing the "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", the Apex Medical Commission prescribed a ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population.
As a result of this new norm, several southern states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana became ineligible to apply for any new medical college or MBBS seats.
All the Southern States including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh opposed these new NMC rules for setting up new medical colleges. Kerala, on the other hand, decided to seek relaxation based on specific requirements.
Amid this opposition from the States and various stakeholders corresponding to a section of the medical fraternity hailing the move, the NMC had issued a statement standing by its decision pointing out how various courts had made observations on the crowding of medical colleges and how this decision will help add another 40,000 MBBS seats in India. However, the dictum on the MBBS seat cap per population was then put on hold till the year 2025 by the NMC.
