NMC ban on southern states adding medical colleges defies logic

livemint.com:

The National Medical Commission’s decision to allocate medical colleges to states based on their population is quixotic to say the least. It also has the potential to further strain the already fraught relations between the union government and southern states – none of which are governed by the BJP at present. The new guidelines, published via an extraordinary gazette notification (and apparently without any sort of public consultation), do two things, both of which are unlikely to sit well with many states.

First, they introduce a ratio of 100 MBBS seats for every 10 lakh people. Second, they cap the current number of medical colleges – both government-run and private – in states that have exceeded this ratio. The southern states – comprising Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry – all are above this new cut-off.

Manipur, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh also exceed the NMC’s ratio. There also appears to be a clear attempt to ensure that the ability to open new medical colleges rests firmly with the union government. The NMC has said that after the current academic year, 2023-24, “letter of permission for starting new medical colleges shall be issued only for annual intake capacity of 50/100/150 seats, provided that medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in the states/Union Territory (sic)." The guidelines also clearly state that no medical or dental college can be established or their capacity increased without the prior approval of the union government.