CBI probe, structural flaws in NMC raise concerns over quality of healthcare
New Delhi: In a scathing report published on July 19, the globally respected medical journal The Lancet has raised alarm over a major corruption scandal that has rocked India’s medical education system. Written by Dinesh C Sharma, the report scrutinizes alleged bureaucratic inefficiencies and systemic flaws within the National Medical Commission (NMC), following a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe exposing deep-rooted collusion between government officials and private medical colleges.
Widespread Bribery Uncovered
The report refers to the CBI’s criminal case filed on June 30, 2025, which detailed how government officials shared confidential regulatory information with private medical institutions in exchange for bribes. This led to fraudulent inspections, ghost faculty, and fake patient admissions—all aimed at securing favorable inspection outcomes.
Among the 34 individuals named in the FIR are:
- Eight Health Ministry officials
- The Joint Director of the National Health Agency
- The former UGC Chairman
- Doctors deputed by NMC
- Officials from seven private medical colleges
One of the most damning revelations involved three NMC inspectors and three officials from Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute being caught while allegedly exchanging ₹5.5 million in bribes.
Confidential Data Misused
The FIR alleges that officials unauthorizedly accessed inspection schedules and team compositions, passing them on to intermediaries who alerted medical colleges. This prior knowledge helped colleges create fake setups and bribe assessors to ensure favourable accreditation, The Lancet report highlighted.
Quoting the FIR, the report said:
“These acts undermine the regulatory framework’s integrity and endanger public health and the quality of medical education in India.”
NMC Faces Scrutiny
The NMC, which was formed to replace the corruption-plagued Medical Council of India (MCI), is now facing similar allegations of inefficiency and corruption. Public health expert Vikash R Keshri told The Lancet that the NMC suffers from structural flaws, centralised power, and a lack of clear strategy, making it a mere rebranding of the MCI.
While both NMC and the Ministry of Health did not respond to The Lancet’s queries, NMC issued a statement on July 14, saying it blacklisted four assessors and withheld seat approvals for six medical colleges for the 2025–26 academic year, pending investigation.
Growing Pressure and Rapid Expansion
The report contextualises the issue within India’s ongoing efforts to expand medical education. With over 118,000 MBBS seats annually and 1.3 million registered practitioners, India still falls short of the WHO-recommended doctor-patient ratio of 1:1000.
In March 2025, the government announced an addition of 10,000 MBBS seats, targeting a total increase of 75,000 seats over five years. To support this growth, NMC relaxed faculty norms, leading to concerns over quality dilution.
“In the rush to increase numbers, the system risks producing poorly trained doctors,” said Umesh Kapil, Secretary of the National Academy of Medical Sciences.
Disparities in Cost and Regulation
The report also noted the vast cost difference between private and government medical colleges, citing that Index Medical College charges ₹1.6 million annually, while government colleges in Madhya Pradesh charge only ₹100,000—raising questions about accessibility and regulatory enforcement.
Final Word
The Lancet report concludes with a warning: unless urgent reforms address both quantity and quality, India’s healthcare system could face long-term damage due to compromised medical training.
