The National Medical Commission (NMC) has implemented a major policy shift by removing key restrictions on MBBS seat expansion, paving the way for a substantial increase in undergraduate medical seats across India. This move, announced through a gazette notification on April 27, amends the 2023 regulations governing new medical colleges and the expansion of existing courses.
Key Changes in Regulations
The amendment deletes a clause that previously capped the total number of MBBS seats at 150 per college for those seeking expansion from the 2024–25 academic year. Colleges aiming to increase their intake will no longer be bound by this upper limit. Additionally, the NMC has removed the requirement that states maintain a ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population, a norm that earlier guided approvals for new seats. These changes are designed to provide greater flexibility to institutions and support faster expansion of medical education capacity in response to the rising demand for doctors.
Revised Distance Norms
In another operational change, the NMC has revised norms related to the distance between a medical college and its teaching hospital. Instead of a travel-time cap of 30 minutes, the rules now prescribe a maximum distance of 10 kilometers. For northeastern and Himalayan states, the limit has been relaxed to 15 kilometers. This adjustment aims to facilitate easier establishment and expansion of medical colleges in challenging terrains.
The amendments have been notified under the NMC Act, 2019, and apply to both the Undergraduate Medical Education Board’s seat expansion guidelines and the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023. The move is expected to benefit both government and private medical colleges looking to scale up capacity, particularly in states where demand for seats continues to outstrip supply. However, the onus remains on regulators to maintain quality standards and infrastructure.
Officials indicated that the changes are intended to address the shortage of doctors in the country by enabling faster growth of medical education infrastructure. With these amendments, the NMC aims to strike a balance between expanding access to medical education and ensuring that quality is not compromised.
