NMC Cancels 200 MBBS Seats of JNMC [Belagavi, Karnataka]

Belagavi, Karnataka: The National Medical Commission cancels 200 MBBS seats of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), one of Karnataka’s top medical institutions, for the 2025–26 academic year. The decision was taken after a CBI-led bribery investigation revealed corruption.

In the past month, the CBI has uncovered a major bribery scandal involving NMC officials and medical colleges seeking illegal seat approvals. The NMC has blacklisted four doctors, revoked approvals for six private colleges, and cancelled over 600 MBBS seats across India.

Medical College like JNMC Belagavi lost 200 seats alone. These actions mark a strong regulatory push to clean up corruption in medical education.

Why the Seats Were Withdrawn

• The CBI arrested a senior NMC assessor accused of accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe in exchange for issuing a favourable inspection report.
• As a result, the NMC withdrew approval not only for seat renewals but also cancelled plans to introduce new seats or postgraduate courses at JNMC.

Seat Reduction Across Karnataka

Previous Year	This Year	Change
71 colleges	70 colleges	–1 college
12,395 seats	12,194 seats	–201 seats

Of this reduction, 200 seats came from JNMC, and 1 seat was lost at a college in Chitradurga.

Breakdown of seats available this year:

• 572– All India Quota (AIQ)
• 2,224– MCC deemed quota
• 5,275– Government quota
• 2,819– Private quota
• 876– NRI quota

A total of 9,263 MBBS seats (across AIQ, state, private, and NRI quotas) will be offered through Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) counselling, a slight dip from last year’s 9,282 seats.

Regulatory Pushback on New Colleges

The NMC also rejected Karnataka’s proposals to establish three new government medical colleges and increase intake in existing ones, citing insufficient infrastructure and staffing.

Impact

• JNMC students may experience increased competition for a limited number of MBBS seats and possibly disrupted clinical rotations or staffing arrangements.
• The NMC is planning to implement virtual inspections, using CCTV and software logs, to prevent future corruption in assessment processes.

This incident reflects an ongoing crackdown on unethical practices in medical accreditation. Recent actions include:

• Seat cancellations in Karnataka following similar bribery allegations.
• The removal of ghost faculty and the manipulation of assessment procedures across the country.

The withdrawal of 200 MBBS seats from JNMC and the NMC’s refusal to approve new medical colleges indicate a rigorous clampdown on malpractices. The shift toward virtual audits, increased transparency, and stricter oversight may strengthen the credibility of medical education in Karnataka, offering long-term benefits despite short-term disruptions.