The guidelines by the National Medical Commission say the rural and urban health centres affiliated to medical colleges will be used for internship training of MBBS students

The National Medical Commission has introduced fresh guidelines for the establishment of undergraduate medical colleges in the country whereby the maximum number of MBBS students admitted will be reduced from the current 250 seats to 150 seats.

The updated guidelines are set to take effect for colleges starting from the academic session of 2024-25. Presently, newly established undergraduate medical colleges can admit between 100 and 150 MBBS students initially, with the possibility of later expanding the intake to a maximum of 250 students.

The guidelines say the rural and urban health centres affiliated to medical colleges will be used for internship training of MBBS students. All MBBS graduates are supposed to finish 12 months internship training to become eligible to practice medicine, the guidelines read.

“With the exception that colleges which have applied for academic year 2023-21 for increased seats but failed to get the same, can ask for the same number (totalling 200 or 250) that was in their previous application for one time in the year 2024-25 only. After academic year 2023-24, Letter of permission (I.OP) for starting of new medical colleges shall be issued only for annual intake capacity of 50/ I 00/l 50 seats: Provided that medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for l0 lakh population in that state or UT,” the guidelines read.

According to the regulations, each medical college and institution approved for annual undergraduate admissions is required to establish the following departments: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Community Medicine, General Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Dermatology, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Radio-Diagnosis, Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Ophthalmology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Anesthesiology, Dentistry, and Integrative Medical Research.

The teaching staff of all departments of medical college should be full time; faculty will not indulge in private practice during college functioning hours, it says.

“The regulations stipulate that any hospital seeking authorization to establish a medical college after the publication of this amended regulation must consist of three essential components: the Medical College itself, the affiliated Teaching Hospital, and accommodations for students and interns,” the guidelines read.

The guidelines say the Medical College, hostels for students and interns, as well as the teaching hospital or institution, must either be situated in a single unified campus or, at most, across two campuses.

In case of a unitary campus, there must be sufficient constructed area on the land, adhering to prevailing building standards, either owned by the college management or held under a lease of at least 30 years.

“If there are two plots or campuses, the college must be located on a single plot. The distance between the college and hospital plots should allow for a travel time of no more than 30 minutes. The hospital itself must have a minimum of two hundred and twenty (220) beds,” the guidelines say.

The medical college must also provide ample built-up space to accommodate various teaching spaces (both within the college and the teaching hospital), a library, administrative sections, rooms for both teaching and non-teaching staff and facilities for students.

“The construction of both the medical college and hospital must adhere to prevailing building codes and local building regulations. The hospitals must incorporate fire-safety measures, including plans for patient evacuation in line with local bylaws and regulations,” read the guidelines.

The college should also have a well-equipped and regularly updated central laboratory, preferably featuring a common collection area, to facilitate routine investigations across various disciplines such as hematology, clinical pathology, microbiology etc.

“Departments may establish separate laboratories for specialized work,” the guidelines read. “Whenever possible, the central laboratory should be designed to collect all samples and distribute reports”. The guidelines detail the requirements for lecture theaters, saying the need for air-conditioned, gallery-style spaces.”

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