PPP to operate medical college

mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com · Feb 16, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is rapidly pivoting towards a contractor-driven healthcare model, signalling what could mark the end of an era of purely public-run medicine. In its latest move, the civic body has decided to operate its upcoming Govandi medical college under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), granting private players autonomy over admissions and fee structures. The decision follows a year-long trend of aggressively outsourcing essential services.At the centre of this shift is the proposed 100-seat medical college linked to Govandi’s Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital. The BMC has invited tenders to establish the college under the PPP model, even as it expands the hospital’s capacity by 580 beds. According to civic officials, a private party will set up and run the college as a private institution, with fees for all 100 seats determined by the operator.Under the existing system, government medical colleges reserve 85 per cent of seats for state students and 15 per cent under the all-India quota. In private colleges, seats are divided among a 15 per cent management quota, a state quota and an NRI quota – a structure that typically results in significantly higher fees. Records show that annual MBBS fees in Mumbai’s government medical colleges range between Rs 60,000 and Rs 1.25 lakh. In private medical colleges, fees under the state quota begin at over Rs 10 lakh, underscoring the stark disparity between public and private medical education.Speaking on the PPP medical college, Civic Chief Bhushan Gagrani said, “Our priority is to provide medical services, and with the medical college, medical services will be upgraded. This will help with treatment.” He added that in PPP hospitals, treatment for BMC-recommended patients would be provided at BMC rates.Expansion of PPP Model to other hospitalsAlongside the Govandi project, the BMC has decided to run Mulund’s MT Agarwal Hospital and Bachu Bhai Compound Hospital in Mankhurd under the PPP model, further expanding private participation in civic healthcare facilities.The outsourcing drive extends beyond medical education. The BMC recently floated a Rs 17 crore, three-year tender to appoint a private agency for anti-mosquito fogging operations, deploying 2,000 labourers. Controversy also erupted after the civic body decided to hand over patient food services in all peripheral hospitals to private agencies.In the first week of February, the BMC approved a Rs 13.5 crore proposal for housekeeping services across 11 suburban peripheral hospitals. The process also included the appointment of private personnel at Cooper Hospital, including four doctors, laboratory technicians, service technicians, wiremen and other support staff.Concerns over public accountabilityThe shift has raised concerns over staffing and public accountability. Union leader Ramakant Bane said he had approached the Labour Commissioner after the BMC reduced in-house staffing while appointing contractors. “According to the documents, the BMC needs 1.40 lakh permanent staff, while the current permanent staff strength is 87,000,” he said, adding that the move has affected Class IV workers.At civic health posts, traditionally the backbone of municipal medical services, BMC has decided to appoint doctors on contract instead of maintaining permanent positions. At Nair Hospital, technicians and Class IV workers will also be recruited on a contractual basis.