Lok Sabha Question No. 396 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Affordable and Accessible Medical Education
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dharambir Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.396 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 03 RD  FEBRUARY, 2023

## AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE MEDICAL EDUCATION

## 396. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

## Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  Whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  make  medical  education  affordable  and accessible in the country;
- (b) If so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)  The  stance  of  the  Government  on  the  students  returning  from  Ukraine  leaving  their incomplete courses?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (DR BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d): The National Medical Commission Act, 2019 provides for framing of guidelines for determination of fees and all other charges in respect of fifty percent (50%) of seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities which are governed under the provisions of the Act. Accordingly, National Medical Commission (NMC) has framed the guidelines and the same were issued on 03.02.2022.

The government has increased number of medical colleges and subsequently increased MBBS seats. There is an increase of 69% in Medical Colleges from 387 before 2014 to 654 as of now. Further, there is an increase of 94% in MBBS seats from 51348 before 2014 to 99763 as of now  and  increase  of  107%  in  PG  seats  from  31185  before  2014  to  64559  as  of  now.  The measures/steps taken by the Government to increase the number of medical seats in the Country include:- i. Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  establishment  of  new  medical  college  by  upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 94 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved.

ii. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.

iii. Under 'Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks' of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which 60 projects are complete.

iv. Under the  Central  Sector  Scheme  for  setting  up  of  new  AIIMS,  22  AIIMS  have  been approved. Undergraduate courses have started in 19 of these.

v. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure.

vi. DNB  qualification  has  been  recognized  for  appointment  as  faculty  to  take  care  of shortage of faculty.

vii. Enhancement of age limit  for  appointment/  extension/  re-employment  against  posts  of teachers/Dean/Principal/ Director in medical colleges upto 70 years.

The  National  Medical  Commission  (NMC)  has  devised  a  scheme  under  which  Indian students who were in the last year of their undergraduate medicine course (due to COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine conflict etc had to leave their foreign medical institute) and have subsequently completed their studies as also have been granted certificate of completion of course/degree by the respective institute, on or before 30th June, 2022, are permitted to appear in Foreign Medical Graduate Examination. Thereafter, upon qualifying the FMG examination, such foreign medical graduates are required to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of two years to make up for the clinical training which could not be physically attended by them during the undergraduate medicine course in the foreign institute as also to familiarize them with practice  of  medicine  under  Indian  conditions.  Foreign  medical  graduates  get  registration  only after completing the CRMI of two years.

As per information received from MEA, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has communicated with all the concerned Universities in Ukraine for providing transcript and other documents in a smooth manner to the students.  The details  are  available  on  the  website  of  Embassy  to  assist students to address any related issues.

The NMC has also issued Public Notices conveying its No-objection to the Academic Mobility  Program  offered  by  Ukraine  i.e.  temporary  relocation  (for  the  period  of  conflict)  to other universities applicable in either of 29 countries as mentioned in the Public Notice. A few students have opted for Academic Mobility Program.