The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented a figure of a 110% seat increase in MBBS along with 355 new medical colleges. In reply to M Badruddin Ajmal’s query, the minister presented this data in Lok Sabha on the 28th of July yesterday. The data figured was in comparison to the previous government before 2014 and the present government’s roles in Medical Education after 2014.
The minister also informed the Parliament that 117% of seats have increased Postgraduate courses after 2014. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the previous government had increased to 51,348 seats till 2014 but the current government is more conscious about Medical Education and has increased two times seats to 1,07,948 now. In The PG courses, there has also been a double seat increment from 31,185 to 67,802 seats in the medical colleges for the 2022-2023 session.
A data on New Medical Colleges establishing comparison to previous governments he figured as “There were 387 colleges till 2014 while the government after 2014 established new colleges and till now 704 medical colleges”. In an answer to Bad Medical Situation in Bihar the, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Pravin Bharti informed the Parliament- “ the number of government Medical Colleges increased from 253 till 355 for the 2022-2023 year.”
Minister Power additionally added, “A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the establishment of New Medical Colleges including district or Referral Hospitals are Monitored and Administered by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a fund sharing of 90:10 ratio for North East and 60:40 ratio between Centre and other States.”
Will the Claims of Increment by Ministers survive for future sessions and according to NMC?
According to the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Medical Colleges applying for establishing and seeking for recommendations from NMC will not be allowed to intake more than 150 MBBS seats from the 2024 Session. The NMC has also formed a norm – “ The current Colleges with to increase their seats were allowed to maximum 250 seats only for 2023 session.” This entails a 40% Cut in MBBS seats in Medical College from the 2024 session.
The National Medical Commission in its 2020 formed rules has clarified “Medical Colleges are established with an annual intake of 100 or 150 seats which can increase till 250 intake only in special conditions.
