Rapid medical college expansion in MP raises concerns over faculty shortage, MBBS training quality
Faculty shortage
Bhopal: The rapid rise in the number of medical colleges across the state has reportedly raised serious concerns about the quality of medical education, with junior doctors and students pointing to major gaps in faculty strength and infrastructure, particularly in newly established government medical colleges.
While the expansion has increased MBBS seats, medical students from such government medical colleges pointed out that their medical education is suffering due to the shortage of faculty and poor infrastructure. Free Press Journal reported that the students claimed that the severe shortage has also affected their practical training since they do not have sufficient facilities for practicals.
Medical Dialogus had previously reported that the government medical colleges across Madhya Pradesh are facing a severe faculty shortage. Only seven out of nineteen government medical colleges have enough faculty to teach the students properly, and the remaining institutes suffer from a severe shortage of medical teachers.
Several of the new and even older colleges are facing this issue, struggling to provide the basic facilities required for the training of future doctors. This situation is reportedly forcing students to often learn online due to absent teachers and inadequate infrastructure.
According to the Junior Doctors’ Association (JUDA), the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued show cause notices in May 2025 to several medical colleges for failing to meet mandatory requirements. These included non-submission of annual compliance declarations and shortcomings related to faculty availability and infrastructure.
While private institutions were also flagged, several government medical colleges, including Vidisha, Datia, Shivpuri, Chhindwara, Rewa, Khandwa, Sagar, Jabalpur, Indore and Bhopal, were found to be non-compliant.
In Vidisha Medical College, inspections reportedly found that emergency surgeries were not being conducted, and the maximum faculty were found commuting (up and down) from Bhopal. This reportedly led to an adverse impact on teaching.
An MBBS student from Vidisha Medical College told FPJ, "Most of the faculty commute from Bhopal. So teaching is affected, and there is a lack of facilities for practicals, so students do not get proper practical exposure."
In government medical colleges of Ratlam, Shahdol, Chhindwara and Shivpuri, structural gaps and faculty shortage were also found.
An MBBS student from Chhindwara Medical College, said, "There is a structural gap, including faculty and infrastructure, in the government medical college. Teaching is a totally power presentation, and students do not get the opportunity for practical exposure."
Responding to the concerns, Dr Vaibhav Jain, Deputy Director at the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), said, "The government is focused on removing shortcomings in state-run medical colleges. Much has been done to put the house in order, especially in new government medical colleges."
