According to the data shared by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha recently, Rajasthan has seen a steady rise in medical education capacity in the last five years. MBBS seats have increased from 4,200 in 2020-21 to 6,476 in 2024-25, with yearly additions of 300 seats in 2020-21, 480 in 2021-22, 395 in 2022-23, 500 in 2023-24, and 901 in 2024-25.
Postgraduate (PG) medical seats have also grown. In government and private medical colleges combined, 351 new PG seats were added in 2021-22, followed by 208 in 2022-23 (111 in government and 97 in private colleges), 316 in 2023-24 (185 government, 131 private), and 361 in 2024-25 (78 government, 283 private).
Apart from state-wise figures, the minister also highlighted the overall growth in medical education across the country. Since 2014, the number of medical colleges has risen from 387 to 780, undergraduate (UG) seats from 51,348 to 1,15,900, and postgraduate (PG) seats from 31,185 to 74,306.
The rise in seats is part of the centre’s efforts to improve the doctor-population ratio in India. Currently, the country has around 13.86 lakh registered allopathic doctors and 7.51 lakh AYUSH practitioners, leading to an estimated doctor-population ratio of 1:811.
These details were provided by the Minister while responding to the questions raised by parliament member Shri Madan Rathore who sought to know the current MBBS doctors-population ratio in the country, State/Union Territory-wise including Rajasthan, whether Government has adopted any concrete policy to improve this ratio, how this problem is being solved especially in the rural districts of Rajasthan; and whether the Central Government has planned to establish super specialty hospitals on the lines of AIIMS model to achieve this target.
In response to these queries, the MoS health stated, "There are 13,86,157 registered allopathic doctors and 7,51,768 registered practitioners in the AYUSH system of medicine. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a doctor to population ratio of 1:1000. Assuming that 80% of registered practitioners in both the allopathic and AYUSH systems are available, the doctor-population ratio in the country is estimated to be 1:811."
Further, she mentioned, "There has been significant increase in Medical Colleges, Under Graduate(UG) and Post Graduate(PG) seats. There is an increase in Medical Colleges from 387 to 780; UG seats from 51,348 to 1,15,900 and PG seats from 31,185 to 74,306 from 2014 to as on date."
To address shortage of medical professionals in the country, the Government is implementing following scheme:
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 131 new medical colleges are functional out of 157 approved medical colleges.
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
- Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme has a component related to “Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks/Trauma care centres, etc.”
- Out of 75 projects, 71 projects are complete under this component. The other component is for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved.
The Government has taken various measures to improve the availability of doctors in rural and remote areas in the country which include:
- The Family Adoption Programme (FAP) has been incorporated into the MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population. FAP involves medical colleges adopting villages, and MBBS students adopting families within these villages. This enables regular follow-up of adopted families for vaccination, growt monitoring, menstrual hygiene, Iron-Folic Acid supplementation, healthy lifestyle practices, nutrition, vector control, and medication adherence. It also helps in educating families about ongoing government health programmes.
- Under District Residency Program of NMC second/third year PG students of medical colleges are posted in district hospitals.
- Hard area allowance is provided to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters.
- States are allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibility in strategies such as “You Quote We Pay”.
Further, the minitser provided the total number of UG and PG seats added in Rajasthan year wise.
Total number of UG seats added in Rajasthan year wise:
Academic Year | Increase in MBBS seats | Cumulative Total |
| 2020-21 | 300 | 4200 |
| 2021-22 | 480 | 4680 |
| 2022-23 | 395 | 5075 |
| 2023-24 | 500 | 5575 |
| 2024-25 | 901 | 6476 |
Total number of PG seats added in Government and Private Medical Colleges in Rajasthan year wise:
Academic Year | Increase in PG seats (Government) | Increase in PG seats (Private) | Total seats |
| 2021-22 | 351 | 0 | 351 |
| 2022-23 | 111 | 97 | 208 |
| 2023-24 | 185 | 131 | 316 |
| 2024-25 | 78 | 283 | 361 |
Also read- India has 1,15,900 MBBS seats across 780 Medical Colleges: Health Ministry gives breakup
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that India currently has a total of 1,15,900 MBBS seats available across 780 medical colleges, according to data presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Lok Sabha. According to the health ministry breakup, Rajasthan as a total of 6279 MBBS seats this year
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