Centre Sets Ball Rolling To Regulate Fee In Private Medical Colleges

Picture courtesy Medical Tourism Magazine

New Delhi: The Centre has set the ball rolling for regulating the fee structure in private medical colleges across the country, even as the formation of the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) could take some more time.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked the Board of Governors (BoG), vested with the powers of Medical Council of India (MCI), to prepare the draft guidelines to control the fee structure in private medical colleges and deemed universities from the next academic session, news agency PTI reported.

Fee regulation is one of the key provisions of the NMC Act 2019, which was passed early this year.

“It has been desired that the BoG may prepare draft guidelines for determination of fee and all other charges of 50 per cent of private medical colleges and deemed universities as envisaged under the NMC Act 2019, so that the Commission on its constitution may utilise the same and so that it can be enforced from the next academic session–2020-21 for both UG and PG medical admissions,” the Ministry letter sent to the BoG said.

Significantly, the Ministry has asked private medical and dental colleges to charge fee only for the first year at the time of admission, PTI said.

As per an estimate, 50 per cent of all medical seats in the country come under private medical colleges. The Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, which is set to be abolished with the constitution of the NMC, has no provision to regulate the medical fee. This had given private players a free hand in determining fee, inviting the collective ire of the parents and students, litigations and court interventions.