Coming soon: 11 new medical colleges in each district in Karnataka

Bengaluru: In a major boost to medical education in the state, The Karnataka government will set up eleven new medical colleges under Public-Private -Partnership (PPP) model. The academic session of these medical colleges will start soon.

The new medical colleges would provide dedicated healthcare facilities to the patients and an opportunity for the medical aspirants to fulfil their dream in the medical field.

The confirmation comes in line with the announcement that the new medical colleges will be established in 11 districts of the state including Tumakuru, Davangere, Chitradurga, Bagalkot, Kolar, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Bengaluru Rural, Vijayapura, Vijayanagara and Ramanagaram.

Also read- 4 New Medical Colleges To Come Up In Chhattisgarh

Aiming to improve the medical and healthcare infrastructure, the government decided to bring more medical colleges into the state. By building medical colleges in each district, medical aspirants and patients would have access to facilities close to their homes. The plan to build medical colleges in each district of the state was pending due to financial constraints.

Although site allotment and clearance processes have already started for two medical colleges in Davanagere and Bengaluru Rural districts, the government are in the process of the formalities for 9 new medical colleges.

Sujatha Rathod, Director of the Directorate of Medical Education, told The Hindu, “To improve the medical infrastructure, health facilities for the rural people and giving more opportunity of medical education for the rural residents, and poor and meritorious students, the State government has decided to start 11 new medical colleges under PPP model in Karnataka.”

“Site allotment and other clearances for Davanagere and Bengaluru Rural district medical colleges have been completed. We will look for stakeholders to run the colleges. In these two districts, medical colleges will be functional from the 2024-25 academic year.”

Karnataka even has a comprehensive PPP Policy for Infrastructure Projects in place, launched in 2018 during H D Kumaraswamy’s regime. It envisages increasing the quality and quantity of infrastructure through the implementation of a multi-year infrastructure Action Plan. The policy focuses on recognizing and embracing the key role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in enhancing infrastructure development.

Currently, Karnataka has a total of 57 medical colleges, including 23 run by the government. The State government will allot land to private firms for the construction of the colleges. The firms will invest funds for the college building, infrastructure, and teaching and non-teaching staff.

Also read- 4 New Medical Colleges To Come Up In Punjab