State govt push to increase MBBS seats by giving hosps on rent to set up pvt medical colleges
Times of India | 15 April 2025
123 Kolkata: The Bengal govt is planning a significant push to increase the number of MBBS seats by providing hospitals on rent to set up private medical colleges. The rent will be Rs 15,000 per bed per month in the municipal corporation areas of the state. In the municipal areas, it will be Rs 12,000, and in rural areas, it will be Rs 10,000 per bed per month.
However, the bed fees will double in the fourth year, meaning it will be Rs 30,000 in cities per month per bed. The fees will rise three times in seven years as the user charges will be revised every three years. The charges will then come to Rs 45,000 per month per bed in cities. Thus, the bed use fee during the first year for a private medical college using 300 beds will be Rs 5.4 crore.
For setting up the private medical colleges, the Bengal govt floated an expression of interest (EOI) last week, so the number of MBBS seats can increase from 5,650. Bengal has 37 medical colleges now, and five new medical colleges are under construction. The aim is to support private medical colleges by allowing govt hospitals of 300 beds or more for an initial period of five years, extendable up to 33 years for a user fee. If things work according to plan, these new medical colleges can start functioning from the academic session of 2026-27 or 2027-28, an official said.
An official mentioned that the Bengal govt received requests from private parties for setting up medical colleges. To handle such requests, the state has opened a project cell under the PPP mode. "Though the private parties have land and buildings, they lack hospitals for starting the medical college. A 300-bed hospital is needed for starting a medical college per the NMC norms. So, the state has decided to facilitate giving hospital beds on rent for 33 years. But if the private medical colleges develop their own teaching hospital as per NMC guidelines, they can opt for a shorter period for using the govt hospitals. The Bengal govt plans to facilitate health infrastructure through an MoU with private players for a period of up to 33 years, enabling them to set up private medical colleges. Thus, they can apply to the National Medical Commission simultaneously for starting their own medical college using the govt hospitals, and once they get approval, they can start setting up their own hospital as well."
The official said that with the state govt providing Swasthya Sathi benefits, which is universal health coverage for every family in Bengal, there is an additional medical requirement for doctors and other paramedical staff. For this reason, the Bengal govt wants private parties to set up more medical colleges. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio, has given the nod to the proposal of this EOI so that the dearth of manpower in state hospitals can be better managed.
However, after taking the hospital beds on rent, if the private party is unable to establish the private medical college within a year, they might be given another year to establish it, but they need to deposit a damage fee of Rs 50 lakh, the official said. He added that the private medical colleges should have state quota seats of 50% of the total intake. "The fees of these private medical colleges would be fixed as per NMC norms."
The official said that for selecting the private parties, a committee of secretaries will evaluate the applications based on their technical and financial viability. "Once selected, the private parties and the state govt will enter into an agreement initially for five years, extendable up to 33 years. The private parties need to provide an undertaking as per NMC norms for the establishment of the private medical college and need to construct, operate, and maintain all the proposed medical colleges and their own teaching hospital as well."