NMC notification on new medical colleges may be legally untenable, should be kept in abeyance: TN CM
Chennai (PTI): A notification by the National Medical Commission on restricting the opening of new medical colleges has created a "regressive scenario" and should be kept in abeyance, the Tamil Nadu government said on Wednesday.
Chief Minister M K Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct the Union Health Ministry to keep the notification in abeyance and initiate a consultative process to address the matter.
"I wish to draw your kind attention to the regressive scenario created by the recent notification issued by the NMC to restrict the opening of new medical colleges. It has been notified by the NMC that after the academic year 2023-2024, the Letter of Permission for starting new medical colleges shall be issued only for an annual intake capacity of 50/100/150 seats, provided that the medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in that State/ UT."
This is a "direct encroachment" on the rights of all State governments and penalisation of those who have invested more in their public health infrastructure over the years, the CM said.
He said progressive states like Tamil Nadu have been strengthening their tertiary healthcare network for many decades, leading to ample availability of doctors and nurses, which he said has manifested in their better performance in terms of various health indicators.
"Chennai has emerged as the healthcare capital of India. In both public and private sectors, our skilled medical professionals have been able to successfully serve not only the people of Tamil Nadu but also of other states as well as other nations. This has generated a huge demand for quality health services and new institutions are absolutely necessary for us to cater to it in the future," Stalin added.
"The criterion proposed for such restriction, higher doctor-population ratio at the state level as compared to the norms, is also not appropriate. Even when there is adequate availability of doctors at the state level, there are districts where their availability continues to be a persistent issue," he said.
The problem can be effectively addressed only by starting new medical colleges in backward areas and any restriction based on state level criteria will deprive these deserving districts of much needed tertiary institutions.
"I would also like to point out the fact that in states like Tamil Nadu which have a higher doctor-population ratio, such high availability of doctors has been achieved predominantly due to investments made by State Governments and the private sector and not by investments made by the Union Government."
"We have been continuously urging that the Union Government needs to contribute more but projects like AIIMS, Madurai are yet to take-off," Stalin said.
Given this situation, a restriction on new institutions will completely eliminate any chance of TN getting new Central investments in health sector.
In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court also held that executive instructions could not impose reasonable restrictions on the fundamental right to establish educational institutions under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India.
"Thus, the above NMC notification may also be legally untenable. Considering all the above issues, I request you to instruct the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to keep this notification in abeyance and initiate a consultative process with the State Governments on the steps to address this issue," Stalin told the PM.
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Karnataka launches state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a significant boost to India’s rapidly expanding space economy, the Karnataka government on Friday launched the country’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology here, officials said.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities to translate space innovation into scalable commercial outcomes, they said.
The Centre, established by the Government of Karnataka through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society in collaboration with SIA (Satcom Industry Association India) -India, was inaugurated by Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, in the presence of senior officials and industry leaders, officials said.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Kharge said that Karnataka has consistently been at the forefront of India's technology and innovation journey. With the launch of this Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, we are extending that leadership into one of the most strategic sectors of the future.
"Our focus is not just on advancing research, but on creating an ecosystem where innovation can translate into real-world applications, economic growth, and high-quality jobs. This Centre will play a critical role in positioning Karnataka as a key driver of India's space economy," he said.
According to an official statement, the CoE SpaceTech Foundation has been established under a Memorandum of Agreement between KITS and SIA-India to drive research and innovation in space technologies, industry-aligned training, startup incubation and cross-sector applications, it said.
The Centre has also formalised strategic MoUs with multiple industry and academic partners to support research in space biotech and microgravity, enable collaboration, build talent pipelines, and provide startups with training and market access, it added.
