Govt approves extra MBBS seats in medical colleges

There’s no doubt that efforts need to be made to raise the bar of medical education in the country. The government has introduced NEET – an all India single entrance test for medical courses and is now in favour of a unique proposal to allow extra MBBS seats to public and private medical colleges in the country for the year 2013.

The proposal seeks to avail a one-time relaxation for all medical colleges that are at least 10-year-old to be eligible to apply for 50 additional seats for the current academic session only. As per the norm, medical colleges seeking increase in seats apply every year by July 15. The decision to grant approval is subject to MCI’s (Medical Council of India) inspection to assess the pre-requisites and infrastructure capabilities of such colleges to handle the increased intake.

The government - considering the Indian medical Council Act 1956 which states that no increase in seats would happen without MCI inspections - has asked the eligible colleges to apply for extra seats by July 15 following which the procedure is expected to be finished by July 30 to enable medical colleges to admit more students.

Once the government grants the final approval, medical colleges with existing approval for 50 seats will be allowed to apply for 100 and those with approvals for 100 seats can apply for 150.