The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed tighter regulations for establishing new medical colleges, including a requirement that institutions must have all prescribed infrastructure in place before applying for approval and maintain dedicated corpus funds.

The draft amendments to the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses and Assessment & Rating Regulations, 2023, were published in the Gazette on July 9. Stakeholders have been given 30 days to submit objections and suggestions before the regulations are finalised.

Medical Colleges Must Be Fully Built Before Applying

The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) has proposed that applicants seeking to establish medical colleges must fulfil all prescribed infrastructure and statutory requirements at the time of submitting their applications.

Under the draft amendments, temporary arrangements for hospitals or college buildings will not be accepted.

Institutions that are still under construction or at a “work-in-progress” stage will also not be considered for processing by the regulator.

Dedicated Corpus Fund Proposed For Medical Institutions

The draft regulations propose introducing a mandatory corpus fund for medical colleges. Applicants seeking permission to establish a new institution will have to provide an undertaking confirming that a dedicated corpus fund has been earmarked for its functioning.

Existing medical colleges will also be required to maintain such a fund. MARB will determine the amount and may revise it periodically.

Institutions may also be required to submit documentary proof of the corpus fund whenever directed by the regulator.

NMC Tightens Documentation And Eligibility Requirements

The proposed amendments introduce stricter documentation requirements for institutions seeking approval to establish medical colleges.

Applicants will have to submit a valid Consent of Affiliation (CoA) from a recognised university in the name of the applicant or the medical college.

A solvency certificate issued by a chartered accountant within 90 days before the application deadline will also be mandatory.

Applications that are incomplete or do not contain mandatory documents or other documents notified by MARB will be rejected and will not be treated as valid proposals under the National Medical Commission Act.

The amendments also expand the categories of entities eligible to establish medical colleges by explicitly including trusts registered under relevant state laws, alongside companies incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013.

Attempts To Influence Approval Process May Lead To Rejection

The regulator has proposed stricter action against institutions that attempt to influence the approval process through individuals or agencies.

Any effort to pressure MARB or the NMC could result in the immediate suspension or rejection of applications seeking approval for new medical colleges or additional seats.

MARB may also withhold or reject applications for new schemes or increases in seats for the concerned academic year or subsequent years.

The draft amendments have been issued for public consultation and will be considered after the 30-day feedback period ends. Stakeholders can submit suggestions and objections electronically to the NMC in the prescribed format.

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