Centre asks Jamia Millia Islamia to submit details for setting up medical college

NEW DELHI: The ministry of education has asked Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to submit a basic concept note comprising details of expenditure, projection of the students and faculty strength and other details for the establishment of a medical college.

In October 2022, the JMI vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar had urged the Centre to grant approval for setting up a medical and nursing college in the city. Following this, the Jamia VC who met President Droupadi Murmu on January 11, 2023, reiterated her request to establish a medical college and pitched for offshore campuses.

Najma Akhtar had earlier said that the new medical college will not only be helpful for people residing in South Delhi but also for the people living in nearby cities in UP and Haryana.

Acknowledging the proposal, the minister of state in the ministry of education Subhas Sarkar informed the Lok Sabha: “A letter of intent has been received from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) for establishment of a Medical College. This Ministry, in response, has asked JMI to submit a basic concept note comprising details of expenditure, projection of the students and faculty strength and the requirements of regulatory approvals in order to assess the matter holistically.”

Replying to a question whether the Government is encouraging the institutions which are performing well in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), the minister said: “In order to incentivise the institutions performing well in the India Rankings conducted by the education ministry, the Government in schemes like Scheme for Transformational and Advanced Research and Sciences (STARS) and Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) has included NIRF ranking as one of the eligibility criteria for identification of institutions.”

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Further, with an aim to grant autonomy and to improve the academic standards of institutions and lay down academic standards, University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued various regulations like UGC (Institutions Deemed to Be Universities) Regulations, 2019, University Grants Commission (Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Education Institutions to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes) Regulations, 2022 prescribing NIRF ranking of the institute as one of the eligibility criteria, the ministry added.

For setting up a medical college, the institution will have to submit application to the ministry of health and family welfare for the permission along with the permission of the state government, affiliation granted by an university recognised under UGC Act, state or Central Act and in conformity with the Medical Council of India (MCI) regulations.

In addition, the institute will have to submit documentary evidence to show additional financial allocation, provision for additional space, and equipment and other infrastructural facilities and provision of recruitment of additional staff as per MCI norms, the guidelines read.