MARB Issues Addendum to December Notice
New Delhi: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has removed the earlier cap on the number of MBBS seats that medical colleges could apply to increase. This clarification came through an addendum issued on Tuesday to the public notice dated December 22, 2025, which had invited applications for new medical colleges and expansion of undergraduate (UG) seats for the academic year 2026–27.
Earlier Restriction on Seat Increase Withdrawn
In its December notice, NMC had stated that medical colleges could apply for an increase of a maximum of 100 MBBS seats at a time. However, the latest addendum clarifies that this condition should be treated as deleted. The decision follows NMC’s move to keep the upper limit of 150 MBBS seats per medical college in abeyance for another academic year, thereby allowing greater flexibility in seat expansion.
Acceptance of Old Essentiality Certificate Format
The addendum also provides relief to applicants by allowing the use of valid Essentiality Certificates issued in the old format for the academic year 2026–27. Additionally, medical colleges will now be required to submit an undertaking regarding earmarking of a corpus fund only after they are granted the Letter of Permission (LoP).
Changes in Fees and Affiliation Consent
MARB has further clarified that a non-refundable one-time registration fee of ₹2 lakh plus 18% GST has been introduced, which is separate from the application fee. Applicants must complete the registration process by paying this fee before proceeding. The format of the Consent of Affiliation (CoA) has also been modified, with the academic year now to be specified appropriately instead of mentioning 2025–26.
NMC Communicates Clarification to Medical Colleges
Referring to the MARB addendum, NMC Secretary Dr Raghav Langer has informed all directors, principals, and deans of medical colleges, as well as prospective applicants, to take note of the revised instructions. The Commission stated that the addendum is self-explanatory and aims to further clarify the application process for establishing new MBBS colleges and increasing UG seat intake for the upcoming academic year.
