Kathmandu: The 18th meeting of the Medical Education Commission, chaired by Prime Minister and Chairman of the Medical Education Commission KP Sharma Oli, has resulted in the formation of an 11-member task force. This task force is tasked with reviewing the number of MBBS and BDS seats in private medical colleges as well as their fee structures.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the task force will be coordinated by Dr. Deepak Kafle, Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The task force has been given a deadline of 10 days to submit its recommendations. The meeting took place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.
The task force comprises several notable members, including Dr. Bikash Devkota, Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population; Dr. Mohan Sharma, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine under Tribhuvan University; Dr. Manoj Humagain, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences under Kathmandu University; and experts like Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, Dr. Ramesh Kant Adhikari, Dr. Dibya Singh Shah, Dr. Mangal Rawal. Additionally, Dr. Anil Karki, Chairman of Nepal Medical College, and Dr. Gyanendra Karki, President of the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges, are also part of the task force.
The formation of this task force comes after the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges highlighted the challenges in providing a subsistence allowance to resident doctors comparable to that of the government. Prime Minister Oli convened the meeting following threats of protests from students over the allowance issue.
Previously, during the 16th meeting of the Commission on February 7, it was decided that private medical colleges should provide a monthly subsistence allowance of Rs 48,500, aligning with the government standards for 8th-level positions, in response to demands from resident doctors.
Once the task force submits its findings on seat numbers and fee structures, private medical colleges will be required to comply with the Commission’s prescribed subsistence allowance. Subsequently, the process related to student admissions will commence. The next meeting of the commission is scheduled for April 28.