1,28,976 MBBS, 85,020 PG seats, 818 medical colleges in India: Health Ministry cites NMC data, regulations in Parliament

New Delhi: Altogether 1,28,976 MBBS, 85,020 PG seats and 818 medical colleges are available in the country as per the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Health Ministry recently told the Parliament while citing NMC data and regulations.

Further, under CSS schemes, 4977 additional MBBS seats and 8058 additional PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country, Union Health Minister Smt Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha. 

While informing Parliament about the increase in seat capacity in medical colleges, the Minister said that, as per the National Medical Commission, the number of medical colleges has increased by 111.36%, from 387 in 2013-14 to 818 at present.

Further, she stated that MBBS seats have increased by 151.18%, from 51,348 before 2013-14 to 1,28,976 currently, while PG seats have risen by 172.63%, from 31,185 before 2014 to 85,020 at present, improving access to medical education in the country.

"The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. Under these schemes, additional 4977 MBBS seats and 8058 PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country," the Minister said. 

The information was shared while responding to a series of queries raised by parliament member who sought to know the reasons and details of sanctioning additional medical seats in Government colleges to increase MBBS and postgraduate capacity; whether the increase in seats is accompanied by proportional enhancement in faculty, infrastructure and clinical training facilities to maintain education quality, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor; whether the National Medical Commission monitors compliance with regulations and standards across colleges and the steps being taken to ensure equitable access to medical education across States and underserved regions.

In response, MoS Health Patel informed that the National Medical Commission (NMC) invites online applications every year from medical colleges and institutions across the country for the establishment of new medical colleges and for increase of Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) medical seats. NMC issues Letter of Permission (LoP)/ Letter of Disapproval (LoD) after due scrutiny and assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, the Minimum Standard Requirement for Undergraduate courses (UGMSR), 2023, the Minimum Standard Requirement for Postgraduate courses (PGMSR), 2023, and other relevant norms issued by NMC from time to time.

"The "Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER2023)" makes it obligatory on the part of the medical college or medical institution, after its establishment, to furnish an Annual Disclosure Report (ADR) to the concerned Board, satisfying such conditions provided under the notified MSRs by Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) or Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) and regulations of NMC. The respective Board (PGMEB or UGMEB) undertakes the evaluation of the ADR as and when deemed necessary for their assessment and otherwise," She added. 

To ensure equitable to medical education across States and underserved regions, the Minister informed the parliament about the following key measures introduced under UGMSR, 2023 and PGMSR, 2023.

(i) Removal of the earlier mandatory land requirement, with provision for a unitary campus or a maximum of two campuses within a distance of 10 km between the medical college and the teaching hospital.

(ii) Adoption of a need-based approach for scaling infrastructure, equipment and manpower.

(iii) Permission to start PG courses with two seats with two faculty members without the earlier requirement of three faculty members and a senior resident.

(iv) Provision enabling medical colleges to apply for starting PG courses one year after commencement of the undergraduate course, while Government Medical Colleges may start PG courses simultaneously with UG courses.

(d) The government has made concerted efforts on expanding the medical college infrastructure under various CSS Schemes over last one decade so that medical education becomes more equitable and accessible across States. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. A total of 157 Medical Colleges have been approved in the various districts across the country. Further, support has also been provided for Strengthening/Upgradation of existing Sate Government/Central Government medical colleges to increase the number of MBBS (UG) and PG seats under another CSS Scheme. Under these schemes, additional 4977 MBBS seats and 8058 PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country.

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