The National Medical Commission (NMC) granted permission to 780 medical colleges in the country. According to the latest tally, Uttar Pradesh now has 86 medical colleges. It has the highest number of medical colleges in the country followed by Maharashtra (80) and Tamil Nadu (77). Karnataka has 73 medical colleges and Telangana has 65. Andaman and Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Goa, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim have one medical college each.
Overview of Government and Private Medical Colleges in Uttar Pradesh (2024)
| Government Colleges | Private Medical Colleges | MBBS Seat Distribution | |||
| State Government Colleges | AIIMS (Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli) | Central Universities | 32 Medical Colleges | Government MBBS Seats | Private MBBS Seats |
| 31 | 2 | 2 | 4,553 | 5,600 | |
Additional Institutions:
- Deemed University: 1
- AIIMS and Central Universities Combined: 4
Initially, the NMC had rejected applications of 13 medical colleges. Stringent requirements posed challenges for the new colleges to comply within a short timeframe, leading to the denial of permission for the 2024-25 academic session. However, the Uttar Pradesh government appealed this decision under Section 28(5) of the NMC Act, 2019, and actively working to fulfill the new criteria to secure approval in the future. The UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath diligently pursued the issue with the Union Health Minister JP Nadda. As a result, UP succeeded in getting a nod for 7 medical colleges. Of the remaining 6, the NMC approved 5 in the second round of the efforts made by the UP government. Finally, the last one too was approved. As on October 2, 2024, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had approved all the 13 medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh, including the Autonomous State Medical College in Sonbhadra.
The new medical college in Sonbhadra will have 100 MBBS seats for the 2024-25 academic session. The autonomous state medical colleges in Bijnor, Bulandshahar, Kushinagar, Pilibhit, Sultanpur, Kanpur Dehat and Lalitpur have been granted permission to start MBBS programs. The seat count at the government medical colleges in Agra and Meerut has been increased to 200 and 150, respectively. The three new colleges in Maharajganj, Shamli and Sambhal are under the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. The NMC has also approved an increase in seats at a private medical college in Hapur. Today, the total number of MBBS seats in Uttar Pradesh is 11,300.
Key Differences between 2020 and 2023 NMC Standards
| Category | 2020 Standards | 2023 Standards |
| Faculty Requirements | Required 50 medical teachers | Mandate 86 medical teachers |
| Professors Faculty Requirements | Required 24 senior residents | Specify 40 senior residents |
| Professors | Six professor positions were sufficient | Necessitate 17 professors |
Reasons why the NMC doesn’t approve medical colleges:
- Non-compliance with minimum standards: The NMC may reject a medical college if it doesn’t meet the minimum standards for MBBS programs.
- Insufficient Faculty: The NMC may reject a medical college if it doesn’t have enough faculty to conduct MBBS courses.
- Insufficient Infrastructure: The NMC may reject a medical college if it doesn’t have adequate infrastructure to conduct MBBS courses.
- Non-compliance with other rules: The NMC may reject a medical college if it doesn’t comply with other rules, such as those related to stipends paid to interns and residents.
Steps Taken by UP Government
The Uttar Pradesh government actively worked to secure approval from the National Medical Commission (nmc) for the medical colleges that were initially denied permission. The state government took several proactive steps to address these issues and secured the necessary approvals for these colleges.
- Appeal to NMC: The Uttar Pradesh government has formally appealed to the National Medical Commission (NMC) under Section 28(5) of the NMC Act, 2019. This appeal aims to request a reconsideration of the decision to reject the colleges’ applications. The state is urging the NMC to allow the colleges to begin operations under the 2020 guidelines, which were more lenient in terms of faculty and infrastructure requirements compared to the updated 2023 standards.
- Meeting Updated NMC Standards: The key reason for the rejection of these six colleges was their inability to meet the stringent 2023 NMC standards, which include:
- Higher Faculty Requirements: The 2023 guidelines mandate a greater number of qualified medical teachers, including professors, assistant professors, and senior residents, compared to the 2020 standards.
- Upgraded Infrastructure: The NMC requires improved infrastructure, including modern medical equipment, adequate clinical facilities, and more spacious classrooms to support a larger number of students.
- Senior Resident Numbers: The new standards require a higher ratio of senior residents to meet educational needs.
Ongoing Efforts:
- Hiring Faculty: Advertisements have been published to recruit medical teachers and senior residents to fill the necessary positions. The recruitment process is actively underway to meet the faculty requirements as specified by the NMC.
- Upgrading Infrastructure: Efforts are being made to enhance the infrastructure at these colleges to meet the required standards. This includes improving classroom facilities, laboratory equipment, and medical training resources.
- Engagement with the Union Health Minister: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken steps to advocate for these colleges at the national level. He has communicated with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, stressing the importance of adhering to the 2020 standards, which would have allowed these colleges to open in time for the 2024-25 academic session. The state government is pushing for a revision or flexibility in the 2023 standards, as they were implemented after the application process for these colleges had already begun.
Exploring Temporary Solutions
While working on long-term compliance with the 2023 guidelines, the state government is also exploring temporary solutions to address the immediate gaps. This may involve:
- Temporary Faculty Appointments: Speeding up the hiring process for faculty members to quickly meet the NMC’s staffing criteria.
- Collaborations with Existing Institutions: Partnering with established medical institutions to provide supplementary training and clinical experience to students until the colleges meet all NMC requirements.
- Increasing the State’s Medical Education Capacity: Securing approval for these six medical colleges is critical for Uttar Pradesh, as the state is focused on increasing its medical education capacity. With these additional colleges, the state aims to add several hundred new MBBS seats, which would help address the growing demand for healthcare professionals in the region.
- Future Plans and Collaboration: In addition to focusing on the immediate challenges, the Uttar Pradesh government is working on a long-term strategy to ensure that future medical colleges comply with NMC standards from the outset. This involves more rigorous planning, better resource allocation, and close collaboration with medical institutions and experts to ensure that new colleges meet all regulatory requirements from day one.