Table of Contents

•  Two Medical Colleges to Become Private Universities 
•  Why Is the Conversion Important? 
•  NKP Salve Medical College MBBS Fee Update 
•  Other Maharashtra Medical Institutions Seeking University Status 
•  What Does This Mean for MBBS Aspirants? 
•  Conclusion 

Two Medical Colleges to Become Private Universities

The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the conversion of:

• NKP Salve Medical College, Nagpur – to be affiliated with Lata Mangeshkar University
• Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation Medical College, Ahilyanagar – to be affiliated with Balasaheb Vikhe Patil University

Lata Mangeshkar University, operated by the VSPM Academy of Higher Education, has a 1,138-bed hospital and will offer programmes in areas including dentistry, physiotherapy and nursing.

Balasaheb Vikhe Patil University, sponsored by the Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation, has an 830-bed hospital.

Why Is the Conversion Important?

The conversion comes amid demands from private medical colleges in Maharashtra for greater control over their financial and administrative affairs. The institutions have also faced issues related to fee structures and delays in scholarship reimbursements.

Becoming private universities could provide these institutions with greater flexibility in managing their academic and financial operations.

However, the impact on MBBS fees, admission rules, counselling and medical courses will depend on the applicable regulatory approvals and future decisions. The source report does not establish that all medical programmes will immediately operate under the new university structure.

NKP Salve Medical College MBBS Fee Update

The development is particularly important for MBBS aspirants because NKP Salve Medical College subsequently announced a significantly higher MBBS fee for the 2026-27 academic year.

According to a subsequent report, the annual MBBS fee at NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre increased from ₹13.95 lakh to ₹21.75 lakh. The institution also stated that tuition and development fees would increase by 7.5% annually.

Based on the revised fee, the tuition and development cost for the 4.5-year MBBS course is expected to be around ₹1.1 crore, making the fee structure an important consideration for students planning admission.

Other Maharashtra Medical Institutions Seeking University Status

The change in status is not limited to these two institutions. KJ Somaiya Medical College, Mumbai, has also applied for deemed-to-be-university status.

Another Maharashtra medical institution, BKL Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Ratnagiri, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for deemed status.

The management of Prakash Institute of Medical Sciences, Sangli, has also changed its status from a charitable trust to a Section 8 company.

What Does This Mean for MBBS Aspirants?

For medical aspirants, the most important factors will be the final fee structure, admission pathway, university affiliation, counselling rules and recognition of the medical programmes.

Students should not assume that conversion into a private university automatically changes the NEET-UG admission process or NMC recognition. Admission to MBBS will continue to remain subject to the applicable regulatory and counselling requirements.

The development also highlights a broader shift in Maharashtra's private medical education sector, with several institutions exploring greater institutional autonomy and university or deemed-university status.

Conclusion

The Maharashtra Cabinet's approval to convert NKP Salve Medical College, Nagpur, and Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation Medical College, Ahilyanagar, into private universities is a major development for medical education in the state.

For students, the key areas to watch will be MBBS fees, university status, counselling and admission rules, course approvals and future changes in the academic structure. The subsequent fee increase at NKP Salve also shows why students should carefully check the latest fee notifications before making an admission decision.