Madras HC directs NMC to reconsider its guidelines for fees of 50% seats in private medical colleges
Madras High Court has directed NMC to revisit its office memorandum which said that fees of 50% seats in private medical colleges and universities should be at par with the fees of government seats.
National Medical Commission (NMC) had issued guidelines through an office memorandum according to which from the coming academic session the fee for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and Deemed Universities should be at par with the government medical colleges. Now Madras High Court has directed NMC to reconsider this condition and added that the structure should be amended in such a way that merit is not affected.
The NMC has been asked to issue a fresh office memorandum on this if required. However, till such exercise is completed, the present fee structure prescribed shall continue, added the court.
The bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala passed the orders on a plea by private medical colleges challenging the direction of the NMC fixing fees equivalent to that charged by the government medical colleges, as reported by Live Law.
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. As per the Office Memorandum passed by the NMC pursuant to the powers under Section 10, the fee of the 50% seats in the private medical colleges and deemed Universities should be in part with the fee in the Government medical colleges of that particular State & UT. The court has upheld the validity of section 10 of the National Medical Commission Act.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had issued notice on a batch of petitions challenging the NMC stipulation and last week Kerala High Court held that the NMC stipulation will not apply in private medical colleges and Deemed universities in Kerala as the fees of such seats are fixed by a statutory committee.
Read more:
Follow Shiksha.com for latest education news in detail on Exam Results, Dates, Admit Cards, & Schedules, Colleges & Universities news related to Admissions & Courses, Board exams, Scholarships, Careers, Education Events, New education policies & Regulations.
To get in touch with Shiksha news team, please write to us at news@shiksha.com
Pallavi is a versatile writer with around eight years of experience in digital content. She has written content for both Indian and International publications and has a solid background in journalism and communicati... Read Full Bio