1425 PG medical seats remained unfilled in 2020-21: Health Minister

While replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said that as many as 1,425 PG medical seats remained unfilled in the year 2020-21.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said in the Lok Sabha that the medical seats in the post-graduate programme have not yet been reserved completely.

He said that as per the information provided by the National Medical Council, a total of 1,425 post-graduate seats, 1,365 broad-speciality and 60 diplomas remained vacant in the 2020-21 academic year. The Health Minister has said this while replying to a question regarding the number of PG medical seats that were left unfilled during the previous academic year.

He said in the written reply, "According to the provisions of Regulations on Graduate Medical Education and Post Graduate Medical Education, common counselling for admission to central medical educational institutions, all India quota seats in government medical colleges and deemed universities is conducted by the Medical Council Committee (MCC). Similarly, for state quota seats in government medical colleges and all seats in private medical colleges, the relevant state governments undertake common counselling and are responsible for filling the seats."

To ensure that no seat remains vacant, he informed the Lok Sabha that the benchmark percentile for admission to PG degree and diploma courses has been reduced, and counselling rounds for All India Quota (AIQ) seats have been increased to four from 2021.

Also, for increasing the availability of medical post-graduate seats there is a centrally sponsored scheme for up-gradation and strengthening of existing central government or state government medical colleges. There is also a central sector scheme for the up-gradation of government medical colleges by the construction of super speciality blocks.

The regulations have been also amended for making it mandatory for all medical institutions to start PG programmes within three years of their MBBS recognition or continuation of recognition.

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