Private Medical Colleges Hold 54% of 1.36 Lakh MBBS Seats: NMC Data - Video

Private medical colleges now account for the majority of MBBS seats in India, according to the National Medical Commission's (NMC) 2026-27 seat matrix. Of the 1,36,939 MBBS seats available across 823 medical colleges, 73,643 seats (54%) are in private institutions, while 63,296 seats (46%) are in government colleges. This marks the first time private colleges have overtaken government institutions in undergraduate medical education. Of the 9,911 new MBBS seats added this year, 7,800 (79%) have been created in private colleges and only 2,111 (21%) in government colleges, highlighting the growing role of the private sector in medical education.

Despite the expansion in MBBS seats, experts have raised concerns about affordability. Government medical colleges generally charge ₹5,000 to ₹1 lakh annually, whereas private colleges charge ₹3-12 lakh per year for government quota seats and up to ₹30 lakh annually for management quota seats. The total cost of an MBBS degree in private institutions can exceed ₹1.5 crore. India has increased MBBS seats from 51,348 in 2014-15 to 1,36,939 in 2026-27, but the rapid growth of private colleges has shifted the balance of medical education, according to a report in The Hindu.