The National Medical Commission (NMC) on Saturday issued guidelines that the fees of 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities should be at par with the fees in government medical colleges of that particular state or UT.

"The benefit of this fee structure would be first available to those candidates who have availed government quota seats, but it will be limited to the extent of 50 per cent of the total sanctioned strength of the respective medical colleges and deemed universities," read the guidelines issued by NMC.

The fees in the private medical colleges presently are fixed by the state regulatory authority for the merit seats. However, after the implementation of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the NMC has mandated framing guidelines for the determination of fees and other charges in respect of 50 per cent seats in private medical institutions as well as deemed universities.

If the government quota seats are less than 50 per cent of total sanctioned seats, the remaining candidates would avail benefits of fees equivalent to the government medical college fees, based purely on merit, the guidelines read.

The NMC said the decision was taken after extensive consultation. Earlier, an expert committee constituted by the NMC recommended a total of 26 broad guidelines for fixing fees at private medical colleges and deemed-to-be universities.

"A reconstituted expert committee examined 1,800 responses and submitted the revised draft guidelines. The recommendations of this expert committee have been accepted by the NMC at its meeting on December 29, 2021," the guidelines read.