. NEW DELHI: In a bid to tighten the noose on regulatory compliance in medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed making a dedicated corpus fund mandatory for new and recently operational medical colleges, while warning that incomplete applications will be rejected outright.Under draft amendments issued this week to the 2023 regulations governing establishment and expansion of medical institutions, any entity seeking to open a new medical college will have to submit an undertaking confirming that it will maintain a dedicated corpus fund exclusively for the functioning of the institution. The amount will be determined later by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) and may be revised from time to time. The provision also refers to already operational colleges.Dr MK Ramesh, president of the MARB told TOI that the earlier regulation had mentioned a corpus fund but did not specify any amount, making it difficult to enforce. Instead of deleting the clause, the Commission chose to retain it by seeking an undertaking from colleges, with the exact amount to be fixed after due deliberation. While the wording includes existing institutions, the intent is largely to ensure financial safeguards for new and recently opened colleges. Once decided, the corpus amount will be uniform.The draft also marks a clear shift toward stricter scrutiny of applications. It clarifies that under the NMC Act, a “scheme” is valid only when an application is complete with all mandatory documents. In the past, some applicants submitted incomplete proposals and later sought additional time — or court intervention — to furnish missing documents. The amendment aims to end that practice by stating that incomplete applications will be rejected at the outset, without further opportunity.Mandatory documents include a valid Essentiality Certificate from the concerned state or Union Territory government, a valid Consent of Affiliation from a recognised university, and a solvency certificate issued by a chartered accountant within 90 days prior to the application deadline.The regulator has also empowered itself to withhold processing or reject applications for new schemes or seat increases for specific academic years. In a strong compliance warning, the draft states that any attempt to pressurize MARB or the NMC through individuals or agencies could lead to immediate halt or rejection of the application.India has witnessed rapid expansion in medical colleges and seats over the past decade. While the growth has improved access to medical education, concerns about infrastructure gaps, faculty shortages and financial sustainability have persisted. By mandating a corpus fund and eliminating room for incomplete proposals, the NMC appears to be signalling that future expansion must be backed by financial preparedness and full regulatory compliance.The draft amendments have been opened for public consultation for 30 days, after which the Commission will decide on finalising the revised rules.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNetanyahu Links Modi’s Israel Visit To ‘Alliance Against Radical Axes’, Calls India ‘Global Power’Tripura Teen Brutally Assaulted By Live-In Partner In Gurugram, Mother Recalls Chilling Phone Call‘Raise Pride Of Both Nations’: PM Modi Lauds Indian-Origin Players In Foreign Teams At T20 WC‘Gandi Aur Nangi Rajneeti’: PM Modi Slams Congress Over ‘Shirtless’ Protest At AI SummitPM Modi Inaugurates India’s Fastest Metro In Meerut, Namo Bharat CorridorJairam Ramesh Questions Modi Govt On US Trade Deal, Tariffs And Russia Oil Claims“World Will See AI Differently”: PM Modi On AI Impact Summit In Mann Ki Baat”With India, It’s Different” Lula Hits Out At Global Powers, Eyes $20B India-Brazil Trade MilestoneLula Visit Marks “Defining Moment”, Goyal Pushes For Deeper India-Brazil Business TiesLula Calls It A “Very Promising Day” As India-Brazil Ties Move Towards Stronger Economic Partnership123Photostories7 sacred plants and flowers perfect for indoor spacesThe most powerful mantras for the success in exams; according to your birth dateAlia Bhatt’s BAFTA 2026 debut: From a custom Red Carpet look, to her Hindi speech with ‘Namaskar’, here are all the highlightsBAFTA Awards Red Carpet 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Sadie Sink, best dressed stars of the nightUnder 150-calorie snacks for guilt-free munchingBackless Gucci, Marilyn Monroe vibes: Alia Bhatt steals the BAFTAs red carpetThis Kala Chana Chaat offers 20 g of protein; recipe inside7 must-have features in a car for long-distance travelPrestige invests Rs 120 crore in Namma Metro’s Blue Line station upgrade in Bengaluru: What can commuters expect?‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, ‘Sarfarosh’, ‘Talaash’: Films where Nawazuddin Siddiqui appeared briefly and almost no one noticed123Hot PicksDelhi-Meerut RRTSMeerut MetroGlobal trade outlookSangramIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingEllyse PerryAlysa Liu familyKyle PittsMens Hockey OlympicsTravis Kelce MansionsSidney Crosby and Kathy Leutner Net WorthDillon GabrielNathan MacKinnonCade CunninghamMontreal Canadiens
NEW DELHI: In a bid to tighten the noose on regulatory compliance in medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed making a dedicated corpus fund mandatory for new and recently operational medical colleges, while warning that incomplete applications will be rejected outright.Under draft amendments issued this week to the 2023 regulations governing establishment and expansion of medical institutions, any entity seeking to open a new medical college will have to submit an undertaking confirming that it will maintain a dedicated corpus fund exclusively for the functioning of the institution. The amount will be determined later by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) and may be revised from time to time. The provision also refers to already operational colleges.Dr MK Ramesh, president of the MARB told TOI that the earlier regulation had mentioned a corpus fund but did not specify any amount, making it difficult to enforce. Instead of deleting the clause, the Commission chose to retain it by seeking an undertaking from colleges, with the exact amount to be fixed after due deliberation. While the wording includes existing institutions, the intent is largely to ensure financial safeguards for new and recently opened colleges. Once decided, the corpus amount will be uniform.The draft also marks a clear shift toward stricter scrutiny of applications. It clarifies that under the NMC Act, a “scheme” is valid only when an application is complete with all mandatory documents. In the past, some applicants submitted incomplete proposals and later sought additional time — or court intervention — to furnish missing documents. The amendment aims to end that practice by stating that incomplete applications will be rejected at the outset, without further opportunity.Mandatory documents include a valid Essentiality Certificate from the concerned state or Union Territory government, a valid Consent of Affiliation from a recognised university, and a solvency certificate issued by a chartered accountant within 90 days prior to the application deadline.The regulator has also empowered itself to withhold processing or reject applications for new schemes or seat increases for specific academic years. In a strong compliance warning, the draft states that any attempt to pressurize MARB or the NMC through individuals or agencies could lead to immediate halt or rejection of the application.India has witnessed rapid expansion in medical colleges and seats over the past decade. While the growth has improved access to medical education, concerns about infrastructure gaps, faculty shortages and financial sustainability have persisted. By mandating a corpus fund and eliminating room for incomplete proposals, the NMC appears to be signalling that future expansion must be backed by financial preparedness and full regulatory compliance.The draft amendments have been opened for public consultation for 30 days, after which the Commission will decide on finalising the revised rules.
