Postgraduate Medical Students Free to Opt-Out of Hostel Residency, Says NMC

New Delhi: Responding to complaints from postgraduate medical students who felt obligated to reside in college-provided hostels, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a public notice clarifying the accommodation guidelines for PG students. The NMC notice emphasises that PG medical students are not required to stay in the hostels provided by the college.

According to the NMC's notification, Regulation 5.6 of Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER) 2023 mandates colleges to offer suitable residential accommodation to postgraduate students. However, the regulation does not make it mandatory for postgraduate students to stay in the provided hostels. This is consistent with the absence of such provisions in the PGMER 2000.

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NMC’s Official Notice on Accommodation Guidelines for PG Students

The commission explicitly states that compelling postgraduate medical students to stay in college-offered hostels and charging them substantially violates Regulation 5.6 of the PGMER 2023.

In light of this, all Medical Colleges and Institutes are instructed to adhere to the mentioned regulation. Failure to comply may result in actions taken by the NMC as per Regulations 9.1 and 9.2 of the PGMER, 2023, which include potential monetary penalties, seat reduction, admission suspension, and other measures.

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FORDA India, expressing appreciation for the decision, stated, "Medical colleges can't compel resident doctors to stay in hostels—a welcome move by @NMC_IND. Many private colleges charge exorbitant fees in the name of hostel accommodation. Similarly, many government colleges have poor hostels, not justified by the HRA they deduct”.

The NMC's clarification aims to protect the rights of postgraduate medical students and ensure fair accommodation practices across medical colleges, both private and government-funded. This move is seen as a positive step towards addressing concerns related to hostel accommodations and associated fees.

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