- 17 Jan, 2024
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NMC orders online counselling to streamline PG admissions
Mandatory online counselling will provide a standardised approach, reducing the potential for human error and bias in medical admissions To reduce seat wastage, bring transparency and accountability in PG medical admissions, and deter private medical colleges from arbitrarily increasing the course fees, the NMC has mandated that counselling for PG medical seats will be conducted only in online mode. While entering details in the seat matrix, medical colleges will have to mention the amount of fees for each course, failing which seat will not be counted. The NMC’s official statement, released on December 29, 2023, stated, “All rounds of counselling for all seats will be held in the online mode by state or central counselling authorities.” The medical education regulator has specified that no medical college or institution can admit any candidate independently.
Better coordination
Talking to Education Times about the mandatory online counselling, Dr Vijay Oza, president, Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) NMC, says “The move is aligned with the national Digital India mission, emphasising the government’s commitment to digitalisation and eliminating biases in the PG admission process. It will streamline coordination between central and state counselling and would prevent the need for students to physically rush between states. It will also create awareness among students about the course fees, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding PG admissions.”
Updating both the seat matrix and the course fees in tandem will ensure that prospective students have access to correct information about course fees. “Online counselling will allow central and state counselling to be conducted parallelly. Often, due to a lack of coordination between state and central counselling, hundreds of medical seats remained vacant at the end of the counselling. Compulsory mention of fees along with the seat matrix will deter medical colleges from arbitrarily increasing the fees or adding additional fee categories later in the course. Also, it will put a stop to back door entries in medical colleges,” says Dr Rishiraj Sinha, all India general secretary, FAIMA.
It is important that colleges decide the fees and then update it on the website and just like in the government colleges, charge the fees at the beginning of the course so that hidden charges/fees cannot be enforced later, says Sinha. Online counselling would ensure a more efficient and transparent process. “Conducting counselling online allows for wider accessibility and eliminates geographical barriers for candidates. Additionally, an online platform provides a standardised and streamlined approach, reducing the potential for human error and bias in the counselling process,” says Dr B Unnikrishnan, dean, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal.
Mention of fees with details of the seat matrix will allow students to make decisions based on their financial capabilities and create a level playing field among private institutions by preventing them from setting fees without any accountability. “This regulation ensures that fees are determined based on standardised criteria and prevents institutions from charging exorbitant amounts,” explains Dr Unnikrishnan.
Strict time management
Often, state counselling gets delayed and clashes with the central counselling resulting in seats remaining vacant at the end of the counselling process. In 2023, 247 PG medical seats remained vacant under the all-India quota. “Both central and state authorities must close counselling at least 15 days before the deadline, enabling the organisation of special rounds to fill any remaining vacant seats. The timely completion of the counselling process is crucial for maintaining the academic cycle and preventing seat wastage,” says Dr Ajit Kumar, director, Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh.