Relief for Karnataka: NMC approves additional 450 MBBS seats for 2025-26
National Medical Commission
Bengaluru: Bringing good news to the medical aspirants in Karnataka, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved the enhancement of 450 MBBS seats in Karnataka for the academic year 2025-2026.
Out of these 450 MBBS seats, 400 medical seats have been added to eight government medical colleges and the remaining 50 seats in Jagadguru Gangadhar Mahaswamigalu Moorusavirmath Medical College (JGMMMC), Hubballi.
With the NMC nod for the increase in these medical seats for the academic year 2025-2026, a total of 12,644 medical seats will be available in the State for 2025-2026, compared to 12,395 seats last year. For the academic year 2025-2026, the State Government had submitted a proposal to the NMC for an increase of 850 medical seats, including an increase of 50 medical seats each in 13 government medical colleges and an increase of 100 medical seats each in two government medical colleges. Additionally, a request was also submitted to sanction 250 seats for the two new government medical colleges to be established in Ramanagara and Kanakapura of Bengaluru South district.
Deemed university colleges like JGMMMC of Hubballi and Sri Siddhartha Medical College of Tumakuru had also submitted a request for an increase of 50 seats each.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that earlier this year, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had rejected the State Government's proposal to start three new medical colleges and increase the MBBS seats by 800 in government medical colleges across Karnataka. The Apex Medical Commission had reportedly denied the increase in the MBBS seats, citing a lack of necessary infrastructure and faculty recruitment.
However, recently, the new NMC Chairman, Dr. Abhijat Sheth, announced that altogether 8,000 medical seats would be enhanced in medical colleges across the country. As per the latest media report by The Hindu, accordingly, among the 15 government medical colleges for which the government had submitted a proposal for seat enhancement, eight colleges have been granted an increase of 50 MBBS seats each.
The remaining seven government medical colleges, however, did not get NMC nod for any seat increase. Additionally, seats have not been sanctioned for the new government medical colleges proposed to be started in Ramanagara and Kanakapura.
Commenting on the matter, Prasanna H., Executive Director of Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), told The Hindu, "The seat matrix sanctioning 450 additional medical seats has come from the Union Ministry. After the Directorate of Medical Education submits the final seat matrix after dividing the national quota and State quota seats available in the State, these seats will be considered for the second round of NEET-2025 counselling and allocated to the students."
NMC has approved an increase of only 50 MBBS seats at JGMMMC, among the proposals received from deemed university colleges. The Commission rejected the seat enhancement request submitted by Sri Siddhartha Medical College.
Altogether 71 medical colleges are available in Karnataka and in the wake of the bribery case, the Commission had not renewed 200 medical seats for Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) of KLE Society, Belagavi, and it reduced one seat in Chitradurga government medical college during the first round of NEET-2025 counselling.
Therefore, only 12,194 seats were available for the State from a total of 70 medical colleges for the first round of the counselling.
