Maharashtra May Permit Private Universities to Offer Medical Courses
Mumbai, 11th September 2025: The Maharashtra government is considering allowing private universities, which currently provide higher and technical education, to offer medical courses as well. At present, private medical colleges in the state operate under the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences and are subject to statutory regulations governing fees and admissions.
The proposed move would enable private universities that already manage medical colleges to bring these institutions under their umbrella, giving them greater autonomy. Initially, only universities with existing medical infrastructure will be allowed to offer health science courses, but in the future, this may be extended to new colleges under private universities, significantly expanding capacity in high-demand courses.
An example of such an institution is Somaiya Vidyavihar University in Mumbai, which manages several health science colleges that currently operate independently.
The change would require an amendment to the Maharashtra Private Universities Act, 2023, and a formal proposal is expected to be presented during the winter session of the state assembly in December. Sources indicate that five to six educational groups have already shown interest in participating.
CM Fadnavis Directs Proposal Submission
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, during a meeting of the Maharashtra State Commission for Higher Education and Development (MAHED), instructed the medical education department to prepare a proposal for permitting select private universities to start medical courses. The universities must have an A grade from NAAC accreditation.
An official explained, “Apart from NAAC accreditation, private universities should have at least 20 years of experience in education and the necessary infrastructure to provide medical training. The National Medical Commission (NMC) requires a hospital with 300 to 500 beds for a medical college. Initially, only universities that already have a medical college and hospital under the same management are likely to be granted permission.”
Autonomy and Capacity Expansion
While these universities will remain under the regulatory framework of the NMC, they will have the flexibility to design their own syllabus and conduct examinations. A government representative said, “Currently, many medical aspirants travel abroad, including conflict-affected countries like Ukraine, and pay significantly higher fees. Allowing private universities to offer medical courses will help increase our domestic capacity.”
However, some parents have raised concerns about affordability. One parent representative noted, “Private universities will be free to set their own fees, which may make these courses inaccessible for many students.”
Other University-Level Initiatives
CM Fadnavis also announced the formation of a committee at the university level to devise a plan for granting permissions to unaided social work colleges, further expanding higher education options in the state.
