Centre asks states to take steps to reopen medical colleges from or before December 1

NEW DELHI: The health ministry has asked state governments to reopen medical colleges on or before December 1.

In a letter sent to states and Union territories, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised them that a sufficient number of Covid-19 beds should be made available in medical college hospitals to facilitate undergraduate training.

All educational institutions in the country have been closed since March in view of the coronavirus pandemic. In his letter to the chief secretaries and administrators, Bhushan said the health ministry had obtained concurrence from the home ministry for the reopening of medical colleges. “Accordingly, the states and UTs may take necessary steps to open the medical colleges on or before December 1, 2020,” the health secretary said in his letter dated November 25.


The Centre’s directive comes following the National Medical Commission’s recommendation to reopen medical colleges from or before December 1 for students already pursuing their courses.

The NMC, which received representations from students and medical colleges, noted that the current batch of interns (2020) had not completed the required clinical training and unless they do it, they would not be eligible to appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Post Graduate.It noted that the NEET-PG exam for the academic year 2021-22 has been delayed because eligible candidates will be completing their training late.