NMC draft amendment allows trusts, companies to set up medical colleges
New Delhi: In a move to widen eligibility criteria for setting up new medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed amendments to the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations 2023.
Through a gazette notification dated February 17, 2026, the Commission outlined the eligibility criteria for setting up medical colleges, proposing the deletion and modification of certain clauses under the existing regulations.
The present Clause 6 a of the 2023 Regulations states that no entity other than the following shall be eligible to apply for establishing a new medical college or medical institution or to start a new course or courses in medicine, as the case may be:
a. The Central Government; or
b. The State Government or State Governments in partnership; or
c. The Union Territory; or
d. A university duly established in India; or
e. An autonomous body promoted by the Central or the State Government by or under a statute, and has no conflict of objectives for undertaking medical education by starting a medical institution; or
f. A society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) or any respective statute meant to establish and regulate Societies in the respective State; or
g. A Section 8 Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or any other corresponding law in force during its establishment
What has been proposed now?
Clause 6(a), which specifically mentions the Central Government as an eligible applicant, will be deleted.
The existing clause 6 (g), which allows only a Section 8 Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, to establish a new medical college, start a new medical course, or increase seats, will be revised.
The amended clause will now allow:
"A company duly incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or any other corresponding law in force during its establishment."
This means that companies other than Section 8 may also become eligible to establish medical colleges if the amendment is finalised.
Under the proposed amendments, a new Clause 6(h) will be added to permit:
"A Trust registered under the respective statute meant to establish and regulate trusts in the respective State"
The proposed amendments have been aimed at increasing private sector involvement, widening participation for the establishment of more medical colleges and increase of seats.
Medical Dialogues recently reported that the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued a gazette notification proposing draft amendments, including the addition and removal of clauses, to the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations 2023.
The gazette notification, issued on February 17, 2026, proposes changes to the “Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment & Rating Regulations, 2023.”
