Madras HC asks NMC to reconsider order on 50% private medical seats at same fees as govt colleges

NEW DELHI: Madras High Court has today asked the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reconsider its direction on the fee in 50 percent seats in private medical colleges equal to the fee in the government medical college. The high court further said that the structure should be amended in such a way that merit is not affected, the Live Law reported.

According to the NMC guidelines issued on February 3, 2022, if the government quota seats are less than 50 percent of total sanctioned seats, the rest of the students, on the basis of merit can pay the fee equal to the government medical colleges.

Following the order by the NMC, private medical colleges and deemed universities in August filed a petition in the Madras High Court against the MBBS and PG fee guidelines.

The petitioners argued that the implementation of the NMC order will lead to discrimination as the second half of students will have to pay for the first half for whom the fee will be reduced, as per reports.

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The petitioners had also challenged the validity of Section 10 of the National Medical Commission Act 2019 which gave power to the commission to frame guidelines for the determination of fees in respect of 50% seats in private medical institutions, the Live Law report said.

The high court also upheld Section 10 of the NMC Act 2019 today and said that till such exercise is completed, the present fee structure prescribed shall continue.