Now Reading: Half of Maharashtra homeopathy colleges have political links
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Half of Maharashtra homeopathy colleges have political links
The Story in Brief
At least 34 of the 72 private homeopathy medical colleges in Maharashtra, 47% of the total, are run by trusts or societies with political connections across party lines. These politically linked colleges account for nearly 3,000 seats, roughly half the state's homeopathy seats. The data comes from the National Commission for Homeopathy's latest list of permissions for the 2026-27 academic year.
Maharashtra has 74 homeopathy colleges, including two government ones, with 6,248 undergraduate seats. Since 2021, the number of colleges has risen from 59 to 74, but total seats increased by less than 140 because many colleges lost approval or had intake cut for violations such as ghost faculty and forged documents. Annual tuition fees range from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh, making a college with 80 seats per batch potentially collect about Rs 4.8 crore from four batches.
Industry observers say many colleges are set up by MBBS doctors as a cheaper alternative to allopathy colleges, requiring about Rs 15 crore investment excluding land. The Indian Medical Association has alleged that governments lower NEET-UG cut-offs and periodically propose allowing homeopathy graduates to prescribe allopathic drugs to boost admissions, under political pressure.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The political links in Maharashtra's homeopathy colleges are not new but the scale, nearly half the private colleges, raises questions about regulatory capture. The National Commission for Homeopathy has the power to shut down violators, but state governments must act on its reports. The real test will come when the commission publishes its final inspection results for the 2026-27 year. Students and parents should watch which colleges lose or regain permission, as that will show whether political influence can override quality standards. The next NCH notice is expected in late 2025.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
