Telangana all set to establish more medical colleges

This implies that the stage is set for Telangana to have eight more medical colleges — in Jogulamba Gadwal, Narayanpet, Mulugu, Warangal, Medak, Yadadri Bhongir, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri — in the coming academic year, i.e. 2024-25.

Hyderabad: Paving the way for more medical colleges in Telangana and other States, the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Wednesday deferred the decision to implement the allocation of only 100 MBBS seats for a population of 10 lakh, till 2025-26. This implies that the stage is set for Telangana to have eight more medical colleges — in Jogulamba Gadwal, Narayanpet, Mulugu, Warangal, Medak, Yadadri Bhongir, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri — in the coming academic year, i.e. 2024-25.

The NMC said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) had urged the regulatory body to re-examine the provisions of the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in States. “A decision has been taken by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board, National Medical Commission that the ‘OBJECTIVE’ clause under Chapter-1 of ‘Guidelines for Under Graduate Courses under Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023’ shall be implemented from academic year 2025-26.”

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A few months ago, the NMC decided to implement the new Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, which made it mandatory for all Indian States to follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population. The decision was a jolt for small States, especially those in South India, including Telangana, which already had plans afoot to launch more medical colleges in the coming academic year. If that formula is followed, smaller States, including Telangana, will not be able to start new medical colleges, as they have already crossed the limit.

With a population of 3.8 crore, based on 100 MBBS seats for a 10 lakh population formula, Telangana should have only 3,800 MBBS seats whereas currently there are 8,540 MBBS seats. Apart from this, the State has already rolled out plans to start new medical colleges and add 800 more MBBS seats in 2024-25.