Government to make it easier to set up medical colleges

The criteria for approving medical colleges both in government and private sectors would be liberalised, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Wednesday.

Addressing the first meeting of the newly constituted parliamentary consultative committee on health, he said: "I realise the need for more medical colleges. The criteria for approving medical colleges both in the government and private sectors would be liberalised."

He assured members of the committee that a broad expansion of the number of undergraduate and post-graduate seats are being considered without compromising on the quality of medical education.

The common admission test called National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) mooted by the Medical Council of India in 2013 was quashed by the Supreme Court.

The health ministry has ordered that a review petition be filed before the apex Court.

Jammu and Kashmir MP Mehbooba Mufti urged the government to provide affordable and quality healthcare.

A number of members such as Rekha Verma from Uttar Pradesh asked the minister to set up trauma centres in their states as their areas economies are connected to highways where accidents are frequent.