Students confused as PG medical admission circular does not mention NMC’s 50% fee fixation

In March this year, the NMC issued guidelines for private medical colleges to offer 50% of their seats to students at fees charged by government medical colleges.

Mumbai: A new circular released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) on Monday stated that the admissions to postgraduate medical courses will begin online in the first week of September. Students and parents, however, are stumped as the circular makes no mention of the recent National Medical Commission (NMC) fee fixation memorandum.

(Sushil Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

“The NMC has highlighted in its recent circular that the rule of 50% subsidised seats in private and deemed colleges will be implemented in the 2022-23 admission session, then why has MCC not clarified the same?” asked Brijesh Sutaria, parent of a PG medical aspirant.

In March this year, the NMC issued guidelines for private medical colleges to offer 50% of their seats to students at fees charged by government medical colleges. In the last week of July, NMC released another memorandum stating that these guidelines will apply to deemed-to-be institutes as well and that they will be implemented in 2022-23 itself.

Most colleges were unhappy with this move, prompting some deemed medical institutes in Tamil Nadu to approach the Madras high court challenging a fee fixation memorandum. College heads from private and deemed medical colleges from across Maharashtra approached the union health minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, last week.

“Earlier this year, in a meeting with minister Mandaviya, we were assured that this new diktat will not be implemented immediately, especially because none of the institutes was in agreement. We have asked him why, despite his verbal promises, the new rule is being implemented for the 2022-23 academic year itself,” said the dean of a Nashik-based private medical institute. A meeting of institute heads was organised last week to discuss a plan of action.

Parents, however, said this move will be beneficial to thousands of students who miss out on PG medical education due to the high fees charged by private and deemed medical institutes. “Implementation will only happen once the nodal admissions body gives clear directions to colleges as well as students. Until then, we have no option but to wait,” said a PG medical aspirant.