NMC Order Reducing Fees for 50% Private MBBS Students Challenged
Petitioners have challenged the NMC's order in Madras HC to set the fee of 50% private MBBS seats the same as those of governement MBBS seats.
NMC Order Reducing Fees: Several deemed-to-be-universities and self-financing medical colleges of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry approached the Madras High Court to challenge the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) order of 50% private college seats’ fee parity with government MBBS seats. Moreover, the Education Promotion Society of India challenged the NMC order alleging that it was unconstitutional and therefore needed to be quashed.
The petitioners stated that the NMC’s February 2022 order is discriminatory towards those students who would have to pay the entire fee. This is in opposition to the other half who would avail the MBBS educational facility at a reduced price. Additionally, an expert committee from NMC examined over 1800 responses before submitting the final draft regulation in December 2019. As per their revised regulations, medical institutions cannot charge capitation fees from students.
Justice N. Mala and Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari will preside over the case. The body of petitioners essentially comprises deans of various medical institutions such as PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Swamy Vivekanandha Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, and Melmaruvathur Adiparasakthi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, among others.
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Private Colleges’ MBBS Fee Structure and NMC Guidelines
The counsel representing the petitioners clarified that NMC’s jurisdictional power extends solely to determining private colleges’ fee structure guidelines. Furthermore, readers should note that private medical colleges charge nearly 15-20 LPA (lacs per annum) INR for their MBBS courses. On the other hand, deemed universities charge 25-30 LPA.
The NMC has offered the option of fixing fees for students on a year-to-year basis or three years straight. NMC laid down guidelines to exclude the costs of purchased assets, donations, and hospital expenses in the fee structure formulation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the NMC’s decision would benefit poor and middle-class MBBS students.
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