Nod for 2 more med colleges in state

Mumbai: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sanctioned two more medical colleges in Maharashtra – a state-operated government medical college (GMC) in Nashik and a private college in Aurangabad. Both colleges have been allotted 50 seats each for the MBBS course for the academic year 2024-25, though they had requested an intake capacity of 100 students each.
The two colleges were approved following appeals to the NMC by the state government. In July this year, the NMC had published a list of newly approved medical colleges across the country, which included only two partially approved government colleges in Maharashtra, adding only 100 seats. This fell significantly short of the state government’s goal of raising the number of medical seats for 2024-25 by 800, prompting the appeal.
Concerns have been growing among parents and admission advisors, especially as this year’s NEET results have already resulted in high cut-offs. The anticipated increase in seats was expected to lower the cut-off threshold, but with limited approvals, the chances of students securing admission within the state have diminished.
Out of the 14 applications for new medical colleges in the state submitted to the NMC, only two government medical colleges were approved in July while two more colleges – one government and one private – have been approved now, following the state government’s appeal.
The state government is also seeking approval for an additional government college in Ambernath. According to a government resolution (GR) issued last month, the government has decided to rent a building for the college to ensure it meets NMC norms. The intake capacity of the college is proposed at 100 and it will also have a 430-bed hospital. The proposal had been rejected by the NMC in July due to insufficient infrastructure. The government has now decided to rent 10 buildings near Badlapur to serve as hostels and quarters for doctors and staff, allocating ₹1,25,76,480 for rent payments.