NMC removes 150 MBBS seat cap, population ratio from UG MSR 2023, introduces 10 km distance norm

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has now permanently removed the 150 MBBS seat cap and the population-based seat ratio rule from its regulations, thereby allowing medical colleges to increase seats and admit more MBBS students without the earlier restrictions.

Through an amended notification published in the official Gazette on April 23, 2026, the Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of NMC introduced changes to the "Guidelines under Regulation 10 of the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulation 2023 (UG-MSR 2023)" and Regulation 19 of the Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 originally notified in Extraordinary Gazette of India on 16.08.2023.

Earlier, the NMC had kept the provision of an upper limit of 150 seats for the MBBS course per medical college in abeyance for another academic year. However, with the latest amendment, both the 150-seat cap and the population-based seat ratio rule have been completely deleted from the regulations.

Under Chapter I of the UG-MSR 2023, the earlier provision stated, "(i) College seeking increased number of seats cannot exceed a total of 150 MBBS students from the year 2025-26. Provided that medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats for 10 lakh population in the state/U.T."

As per the new changes, medical colleges are no longer restricted by the limit of 150 MBBS seats. They can now apply to increase seats beyond this number, subject to other norms. Similarly, the requirement of maintaining 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population in a state or Union Territory has also been removed.

"In Chapter –I under the heading objectives: The following objective in the UG-MSR 2023 ‘Colleges seeking increased number of seats cannot exceed a total of 150 MBBS students from the Year 2024-25’ shall be deleted. In Chapter –I under the heading objectives: The proviso under the Objective in the UG-MSR 2023 “Provided that medical college shall follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population in that state/U.T’’ shall be deleted," mentioned the notification issued by NMC secretary Dr Raghav Langer. 

Furthermore, the NMC has revised norms related to the distance between medical colleges and their attached hospitals.

Earlier, the regulation mentioned that "The distance between the plots of college and hospital shall have a travel time of a maximum of 30 minutes." 

Now the amended version specifies that "The maximum distance between the plots of college and hospital shall be 10 Km and in the case of North Eastern Region States and Himalayan States, the maximum distance between the plots of college and hospital shall be 15 Km."

To view the official Gazette, click on the link below:

Also read- NMC extends abeyance of 150 MBBS seats cap for medical colleges