80,448 MBBS seats available in Medical Colleges, says Centre

A total of 80,448 MBBS seats are available in medical colleges in the country, while the number of medical postgraduate seats is 40,408 which is little more than half of the MBBS seats available, informed the Health Minister.

Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan in the Lok Sabha informed that there are a total of 80,448 seats in medical colleges in the country at present. The number of postgraduate seats is 40,408 which is more than half of the available MBBS seats.

The Minister was also asked whether the government is proposing to enhance the MBBS seats and PG seats in equal numbers in medical colleges in the country and whether NITI Aayog has also recommended any proposal to the government in this regard. To which he replied that the enhancements of MBBS and PG seats is dependent on the availability of adequate faculty and infrastructure as per relevant regulations of the Medical Council of India (MCI). The establishments of new medical colleges attached with district/referral hospitals in undeserved hospitals, enhancements of maximum intake capacity at the MBBS level from 150 to 250 and also the up-gradation of the existing state government/ central government medical colleges, he further noted.

Relaxation in the norms for setting up of medical college in terms of the requirement for faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure will also be given. While replying to a question on whether NITI Aayog has recommended any such proposal to the government, Vardhan said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare consults with various stakeholders including NITI Aayog to augment the number of medical seats in the country.

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