WB to increase MBBS seats from next academic session, says report

The health department sources of Bengal revealed that if everything goes as per plan, the MBBS seats in the state can increase by 600 from the next academic session.

There are currently around 4,225 MBBS seats in West Bengal which can be increased by 600 from the next academic session if everything goes as per plan as revealed by the health department sources. The increased MBBS seats will strengthen the health infrastructure of the state and will take the total number of MBBS seats to 4,825.

CM Mamata Banerjee emphasized improving health infrastructure

When Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came into power for the first time, the number of MBBS seats was 900. When she came in power, she laid huge emphasis on the health infrastructure including seat hikes in various medical colleges, as reported by Millennium Post.

After the need for more doctors was highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic, she urged the Centre on many occasions to increase medical seats in Bengal.

This year, the state government decided to increase 650 PG medical seats, and around 17 medical colleges across Bengal are going to get new PG seats as the Centre has given approval to the state government's proposal.

At present, there are 27 medical colleges in the state, out of which 20 are run by the state government and others are owned by private groups. Six hospitals in Barasat, Uluberia, Arambag, Tamluk, Jhargram, and Jalpaiguri have been upgraded into full-fledged medical colleges and will have 100 MBBS seats from next academic year.

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