NMC denies approval to start 5 new medical colleges in Rajasthan
National Medical Commission (NMC)
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government's aim to receive a major upgrade in MBBS seats has hit a roadblock as the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has turned down the state government's request to commence classes for the 2024-25 academic year in five newly established medical colleges located in Nagaur, Sawai Madhopur, Baran, Banswara, and Jhunjhunu districts.
This came after the inspection teams from the NMC visited these new institutions to evaluate whether their infrastructure, facilities, and staffing met the required standards. Unsatisfied with several arrangements, the NMC declined the application, reports TOI
This decision has led to significant disappointment within the state government, which has now decided to approach NMC with an appeal and to rectify the deficiencies as quickly as possible to commence classes from this academic session.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NMC on 6th July 2024 informed that final decisions of MARB in respect of 113 applications have been communicated through e-mail IDs to the Medical Institutions/Colleges concerned for information and necessary action by them within the stipulated timeline.
Along with the notice, NMC also published a list containing those 113 applications for starting undergraduate medical courses including the name of the concerned colleges, their application IDs, and the name of the course. Among these 113 applications, several applications were from the medical colleges in Rajasthan.
Now applications to start 5 medical colleges in Rajasthan have been rejected by the NMC. The NMC teams had inspected the five new medical colleges to check if the infrastructure, facilities, and human resources were according to norms. In the inspection report, the NMC team highlighted deficiencies in these parameters, reports TOI.
Speaking to TOI, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Education) Shubhra Singh stated that the matter is under consideration of the medical education department and an appeal will be made to the NMC to start the academic session in these medical colleges. Efforts are being made to quickly address the deficiencies in these medical colleges, she said.
Explaining the failure to meet the required standard of arrangements, Singh attributed the delays to the code of conduct in place for the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, noting that this issue is not unique to Rajasthan but affects new medical colleges nationwide. The state government is maintaining communication with the NMC and has also sought the intervention of the Union Health Ministry to facilitate the start of the academic session in these colleges.
Singh told TOI, "Due to the code of conduct for the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, there was a delay in meeting the necessary standards in these medical colleges. She said this situation was not unique to Rajasthan but was seen in new medical colleges across the country."
Last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five new medical colleges and laid the foundation stone for seven medical colleges in Sikar. The seven medical colleges to get the foundation stone are Baran, Bundi, Karauli, Jhunjhunu, Sawai Madhopur, Jaisalmer and Tonk. While four new medical colleges in Sriganganagar, Chittorgarh, Sirohi and Dholpur commenced MBBS admission from the academic year 2022-2023, five new medical colleges were expected to join the State's seat matrix from 2023-2024 if NMC, the apex medical education regulatory body would have given its nod.
