Colleges Can’t Force Students To Stay In Hostel, Charge Hefty Amounts, Warns Medical Body

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a warning against medical colleges that are forcing students to take hostel accommodation. In an official notification released on the NMC website, the commission said that while it is mandatory for colleges to provide appropriate residential accommodation to postgraduate students, the students are however not bound to take the hostels.

The warning was released in response to various complaints received from students about the hefty amounts being charged by colleges. 

The official notification read, “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 postgraduate students. However, it will not be mandatory for the postgraduate students to stay in the hostel.”

“Similarly, there was no such provisions in the PGMER, 2000 for mandatory stay of the PG medical students in the hostel offered by the college. However, numbers of complaints have been received from PG students alleging that the medical colleges/institutions are compelling them to stay in the hostel offered by the medical colleges/ institutions and hefty amount is being charged on this account. This is a violation of Regulation 5.6 of the PGMER, 2023,” the notification added.

The National Medical Commission has warned to take action against the colleges that continue to charge hefty amounts and force students to take PG accommodation. The commission will induce monetary penalty, reduce seats or stop admission in these colleges. 

“Hence, all the medical colleges and institutes are directed to take cognisance 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 notification added.