Maharashtra to get 8 govt medical colleges with 100 seats each

With 100 seats per college, these 800 seats will be in addition to the 100 seats in GMCs approved earlier in August by the NMC, 50 each in Mumbai and Nashik.

With this, the number of seats available in GMCs in Maharashtra has reached 4,850.

According to orders issued by the Health and Family Welfare department, these new approvals are following the second appeal filed by the state government’s Medical Education department in September.

“The documents and submissions made by the appellant have been considered by the Central Government,” state the orders issued on September 30, adding that after due examination of the submissions NMC is directed to issue LoPs.

Earlier this year, the Maharashtra government submitted applications to start 10 new GMCs in different districts of Maharashtra, each having 100 seats.

In August, however, only two out of those 10 applications were approved for a combined capacity of 100 seats.

Whereas letters of disapproval were issued for the remaining eight after multiple deficiencies in meeting minimum standards laid down by the NMC were highlighted during inspections conducted by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB).

The state government’s medical education department had appealed against the decision.

New orders by the Government of India, however, note that the colleges have submitted documents and records in support and justification for their plea for meeting the minimum standards laid down by NMC. “The committee further opines that if the NMC carries out inspections of the college at any stage and finds that the college is deficient in availability of faculty infrastructure etc. the permission for starting the college may be withdrawn by NMC,” adds the order.

“Now Maharashtra has GMCs in 35 districts offering 4,850 seats. At a time when so many medical aspirants are going to different countries, a huge pool of seats is created for medical educations to our students within the state,” said state’s medical education minister Hasan Mushrif in a statement issued in this regard on Tuesday.

The statement added that funding of Rs 403 crore will be provided for each of these 10 GMCs for infrastructural development.

Even as none of the ten colleges are currently meeting the criteria of having 88 teaching faculty to cater to 100 students, an official from the medical education department said, “Faculty support required for the first year courses is ready and step-by-step we will move ahead as our recruitment process is ongoing.”

Even as the decision is welcomed by medical aspirants and parents; many complain of missing out on a chance to apply for these government seats as admissions are already ongoing.

One of the parents, Brijesh Sutaria, said, “Fee-structure of private medical colleges is too high. Having 800 more government seats is a great relief. But the government should ensure that all get fair chances for admission to these seats.”

Meanwhile, due to technical error, the selection list of the second round of ongoing medical admissions which was scheduled for Tuesday was delayed by the Maharashtra CET Cell.