The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a stern warning to medical colleges across the country that, while medical colleges must provide adequate accommodation facilities for postgraduate (PG) medical candidates, these students cannot be forced to stay in hostels. The Commission has further warned medical institutions that if they violate the directive, they will face monetary penalties, seat reductions, and admission suspensions. The NMC issued the warning via an official notice that is currently available on the official website of NMC at nmc.org.in.
The action has been taken in response to complaints that medical students had made to the NMC about colleges imposing their mandatory hostel stay. In its formal announcement, the Commission also emphasised that there is no clause in the PGMER (Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation) 2000 requiring PG students to reside in medical college-provided dorms.
“As per the regulation 5.6 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2023, “It will be mandatory for the college to provide appropriate residential accommodation to post-graduate students. However, it will not be mandatory for the post-graduate students to stay in the hostel,” reads the official notice. The NMC also clarified that the former PG medical regulations did not include such a provision.
The NMC stated that the Commission has received numerous complaints from postgraduate students claiming that certain medical colleges and institutes are forcing students to stay in the hostel that the colleges and institutes provide and that they are charging a hefty fee for that accommodation.
The Commission has warned medical colleges that if they fail to follow these rules, they will face public scrutiny, as well as monetary penalties. “All the Medical Colleges and Institutes are directed to take cognizance of the above-mentioned regulation, failing which NMC may take action as per Regulations 9.1 and 9.2 of the PGMER, 2023 which includes monetary penalty, reduction of seats, stoppage of admission, etc,” the notice added.
The National Medical Commission is the country’s apex regulatory body for medical education. According to NMC regulations, hostel accommodations for postgraduate medical students are optional.
Meanwhile, as per the Regulation 5.6 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2023, while colleges must provide appropriate residential options to postgraduate students, staying in the hostel is not required.
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