Nmc Tells Medical Colleges To Stop Charging MBBS Fees Beyond 4.5 Years

The National Medical Commission has directed medical colleges and universities to charge MBBS fees only for the course’s prescribed 4.5-year academic duration, and not for the full 5 to 5.5 years that include the compulsory internship period. The clarification was issued in a public notice dated 7 April 2026 after the regulator said it received multiple complaints about institutions collecting fees for the entire duration of the programme.

According to the NMC, the MBBS programme consists of 54 months of academic study, followed by a one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI). The commission said the internship is a mandatory training phase, but it does not form part of the formal academic teaching period, and therefore fees should be restricted to the academic component alone.

The regulator also made it clear that charging students for periods during which no corresponding academic instruction is provided is inconsistent with the prescribed structure of the course. It stressed that fee structures must remain fair, transparent, and proportionate to the teaching and facilities actually offered to students.

Medical colleges and universities under the NMC’s purview have been told to align their fee structures accordingly. The commission warned that any violation of the directive would be viewed seriously and could invite action under the existing statutory and regulatory framework.

Reference:

https://www.nmc.org.in/MCIRest/open/getDocument?path=%2FDocuments%2FPublic%2FPortal%2FLatestNews%2FPublicNotice_higherFee.pdf
https://indianexpress.com/article/education/national-medical-commission-nmc-medical-colleges-universities-charge-mbbs-fees-only-four-years-not-full-course-duration-neet-ug-2026-pg-nmc-org-in-10627219/