In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Parliament about several changes implemented in the last five years. To start with, he stated that there has been an 82 per cent increase in the number of medical colleges in the country. The number has gone up from 387 in 2014 to 704 now.
He added that a 110 per cent increase in the number of MBBS seats has also taken place, from 51,348 to 1,07,948 between 2014-23. There has been an increase of 117 per cent in the number of postgraduate (PG) medical seats as well, from 31,185 to 67,802 in the same period, as mentioned in a report by PTI.
The CSS
Mandaviya said that 101 medical colleges have been approved in the last five years under a centrally-sponsored scheme (CSS) for the "establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals." A total of 157 government medical colleges have been approved under the scheme in three phases, including five in Assam. Out of them, 107 are already functional.
The Health Ministry administers the CSS with a preference given to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no government or private medical college, with fund-sharing between the centre and state governments in a 90:10 ratio for the northeastern and special category states and in a 60:40 ratio for other states.
Manadaviya informed that support has been provided to add 4,677 MBBS seats in 77 colleges with an approved cost of Rs 5,612.25, 4,058 PG seats in the first phase in 72 colleges with an approved cost of Rs 1,498.43 crore and 3,957 PG seats in the second phase in 62 colleges with an approved cost of Rs 4,461.44 crore.
Under the "upgradation of government medical colleges by the construction of super-specialty blocks" of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which, 62 are complete, the minister said. Twenty-two new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have also been approved under this scheme. Undergraduate courses have started in 19 of them, Mandaviya said.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019 provides for a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education and ensures the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country, the minister said further. The NMC has also taken several steps to improve the quality and affordability of medical education in India.
The qualification awarded by the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) through the National Board of Examinations (NBE) has been recognised for appointment as faculty members to take care of a shortage of faculty. There has been an enhancement of the age limit for appointments, extensions and re-employment against the posts of teachers, deans, principals and directors in medical colleges up to 70 years, Mandaviya pointed out.
He informed that the teacher-student ratio has been rationalised to increase the number of postgraduate medical seats. The norms for setting up medical colleges in terms of requirements of faculty staff, bed strength and other infrastructure have also been relaxed.
The NMC Act additionally provides for the framing of guidelines for the determination of fees and all other charges in respect of 50 per cent seats in private medical institutions and deemed-to-be universities. These guidelines were issued on February 3, 2022, as per PTI.
