Ensure uniformity in Faculty-student, Patient-student ratios across all medical institutes: Parliamentary panel
New Delhi: A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health has recommended ensuring uniformity in faculty-student and patient-student ratios across all medical institutes, irrespective of ownership.
In its 172nd report, the Department-related Parliamentary Committee on Health and Family Welfare opined that such uniformity across the medical institutes would help promote equitable clinical exposure, adequate academic mentorship, and consistent training opportunities for the postgraduate medical students across the country.
The panel noted that during the financial year 2025-2026, the National Medical Commission (NMC) recorded substantial physical achievements in the expansion of medical education capacity across the country, with an addition of 11,169 undergraduate and 8,416 postgraduate seats, culminating in a total increase of 19,489 seats during the FY 2025-2026.
As a result of these expansions, the total number of medical colleges in the country reached 818, with an aggregate of 1,28,976 Undergraduate seats and 85,020 Postgraduate seats.
In this regard, the panel observed that the expansion in the number of medical colleges and seats will significantly strengthen the healthcare delivery system of the country.
"The substantial increase in Undergraduate and Postgraduate seats will facilitate the availability of a larger pool of trained medical professionals, specialists and super-specialists, improving tertiary care services thereby addressing regional imbalances, reduce dependence on limited high-burden institutions and the persistent shortage of doctors, particularly in underserved and rural areas," it noted.
However, to further strengthen the quality and consistency of postgraduate medical education in the country, the panel recommended to ensure uniformity in faculty-student and patient-student ratios across all medical institutes.
"The Committee also recommends that in order to further strengthen the quality and consistency of postgraduate medical education in the country, it may be considered to ensure uniformity in faculty–student and patient–student ratios across all medical institutions, irrespective of ownership," recommended the panel.
"Such uniformity would help promote equitable clinical exposure, adequate academic mentorship, and consistent training opportunities for postgraduate students nationwide. As graduates from all recognized institutions contribute to the same national healthcare system, maintaining uniform standards would further reinforce confidence in the competence and training of medical specialists produced across the country," it further mentioned in its report.
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