New Delhi: The medical education system and its infrastructure in India has witnessed a remarkable change over the last few decades. There are 702 medical colleges in the country in 2023-24, up by 81 percent from 387 in 2013-14. Similarly, the number of seats for an undergraduate course (MBBS) increased by almost 110% from 51348 in 2013-14 to 1,08,990 in 2023-24, whereas the number of postgraduate seats increased by almost 118% from 31185 to 68073 from 2013-14 to 2023-24.
As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day on Thursday, ETV Bharat tried to explore the evolution and change in infrastructure of the country's medical education system.
Evolution of Modern Medical Education in India
Significant transformations and legislative changes have marked the evolution of modern medical education in India. It reflects the country’s quest to provide high-quality healthcare to its population and align with global standards. The British introduced Western-style medicine to the Indian subcontinent, leading to the establishment of institutions such as the Calcutta Medical College (1835) and the Madras Medical College (1835). To regulate medical practice, the Licentiate of Medical Practice (LMP) was introduced, followed by the Medical Registration Act in 1958.
Indian Medical Council Act
In 1916, the Indian Medical Council Act was enacted, which subsequently led to the establishment of the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 1933. The MCI was entrusted with overseeing and regulating medical education standards, defining curricula, and ensuring the quality of medical practice nationwide. This marked a significant step toward standardizing and formalizing medical education in India.
Post-Independence Expansion (1947 Onwards)
This period saw the establishment of numerous medical colleges and universities throughout India, aimed at producing a larger pool of healthcare professionals. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, was set up in 1956 through the AIIMS Act, 1956. During this period, the MCI continued to play a crucial role in regulating and accrediting these medical institutions while setting educational and ethical standards for the medical profession.
National Medical Commission Act, 2019
One of the most significant legislative reforms in the recent past was the introduction of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act in 2019. This Act replaced the MCI, ushering in a new era in medical education and practice regulation. The major objectives of the NMC Act are to provide for a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, ensure availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country; to promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens; that promotes national health goals.
Current Medical Education System in India & Challenges
India has one of the largest medical education systems in the world. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there were702 medical colleges in the country.
However, the quality of medical education in India varies widely, and the system faces several challenges, the most prominent among them being the uneven distribution of medical colleges. Medical colleges in India are concentrated in urban areas which creates a vacuum in the rural areas. Thus, the creation of medical colleges in rural areas can solve the problem of the dearth of rural access to medical education. Another significant challenge is the non-availability of sufficient funds for medical research in India and there is an urgent need to create a research ecosystem in medical colleges. This necessitates continuous upgradation of the curriculum with the latest advances in medical science.
View of Parliamentary Committee on Medical Infrastructure
As per the National Board of Examinations (NBE) a total of 2,08,898 candidates appeared for the NEET PG 2023. According to the data furnished by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 68073 postgraduate seats in the country. Taking note of the situation, a Parliamentary Committee on Health & Family Welfare said that the current situation regarding medical seats both in UG and PG in our country is a critical issue that warrants immediate attention.
“With an annual influx of approximately 2 million aspiring medical students at UG and only 1/20 times available seats, the demand far exceeds the availability of seats, similarly, the number of available seats at PG level is far less than the demand,” the committee chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Bhubanesar Kalita observes.
The Committee acknowledges the urgency of addressing this challenge while maintaining the quality of medical education at its highest standard.
“To address this issue effectively, several measures can be taken. First and foremost, there is a need to significantly increase medical seats in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The government's existing scheme, which focuses on the establishment of new medical colleges attached to district or referral hospitals, can be instrumental in achieving this goal,” the committee said.
