MUHS plans 865 new institutes, 51 MBBS, 60 dentistry, 25 ayurveda

Nashik: The Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik, has reportedly planned 865 new undergraduate colleges across Maharashtra over the next five years, including 51 medical colleges, 60 dentistry colleges and a large number of institutions offering allied health science courses.

The proposed expansion is part of the university’s new five-year perspective plan for 2027-2032, approved by its senate, the university’s top governing body, last week. The university has invited healthcare organisations to apply for setting up new colleges for the 2027-28 academic year under the new plan.

It aims to increase healthcare education facilities, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas, while limiting the expansion of courses such as nursing, physiotherapy and ayurveda in areas where sufficient institutions already exist.

Of the 865 proposed slots, 51 are for medical colleges, which would add to the university’s existing 69 institutions offering MBBS courses. Of these 51 proposed medical colleges, 40 are planned outside municipal corporation areas and major cities, as per Careers360.

The plan also proposes 60 new dentistry colleges, taking the total from the existing 29 to 89. However, the most significant expansion is proposed in allied health sciences and certain Indian systems of medicine, where the number of existing institutions remains limited.

Over 100 new slots for several allied health courses

According to the perspective plan, MUHS has proposed 114 new colleges for occupational therapy, 158 for audiology and speech-language pathology (ASLP), 159 for prosthetics and orthotics, and 113 for naturopathy and yogic sciences. It has also proposed 69 new Unani colleges, compared with the existing eight.

The university has planned 25 additional ayurveda colleges, taking the existing count of 149 to 174. For nursing, it has proposed 35 new colleges against the current 401, while 21 new physiotherapy colleges have been planned against the existing 120.

The plan also includes 60 new homoeopathy colleges, taking the number from 64 to 124.

MUHS has not proposed additional colleges for several other courses listed in the plan, including modern pharmacology, BSc optometry, diploma in optometry, BSc in paramedical technology, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) and paramedical diploma programmes.

The proposed expansion in allied health sciences is in line with the national focus on increasing the availability of trained healthcare professionals. The plan refers to a Central Government initiative announced in the 2026 Budget to train an additional one lakh allied healthcare professionals over five years, with an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the scheme in that year.

New colleges to be distributed across 61 zones

The university has divided Maharashtra into 61 zones across its 36 districts to determine where new colleges can be established. The proposed locations and number of slots have been decided based on factors such as population, regional balance and the availability of existing institutions.

Under the new plan, the university has introduced a common population-based norm of one college for every 15 lakh people for most healthcare courses. Dentistry colleges will follow a ratio of one for every 20 lakh people, while Unani colleges will follow a ratio of one for every 30 lakh people.

This differs from the 2022-2027 perspective plan, which prescribed different population ratios for various courses. Under the earlier plan, one college each for modern medicine, homoeopathy and dentistry was envisaged for every 10 lakh people. The ratios for ayurveda, nursing, physiotherapy and other allied health courses were one for every 7.5 lakh, 1.5 lakh, 25 lakh and 20 lakh people, respectively, adds the daily.

The revised plan seeks to distribute institutions according to regional requirements while allowing further expansion in areas where healthcare education facilities are lacking.

Limited expansion in nursing and physiotherapy

Although the plan proposes substantial growth in allied health sciences, it provides fewer new slots for nursing and physiotherapy because Maharashtra already has a large number of colleges offering these courses.

An earlier proposal presented to the senate had suggested a two-year pause on opening new nursing and physiotherapy colleges. However, a university official said the policy was subsequently changed to allow new institutions in selected areas that lack such facilities.

"Only the districts that don’t have nursing and physiotherapy colleges will get them," the official said, explaining that the decision would depend on population, regional balance and equity.

The university’s proposed locations include both municipal corporation areas and non-municipal corporation areas. For example, the plan provides three new MBBS college slots each in the Jalgaon, Nashik and Kolhapur non-municipal corporation areas, while two slots have been proposed for Mumbai’s municipal corporation area.

Other areas listed for new medical colleges include Palghar, Solapur, Yavatmal, Ahilyanagar, Buldhana and Beed, with two MBBS college slots proposed in each of these non-municipal corporation areas.

MUHS to recommend only one applicant for each slot

The new perspective plan also introduces changes to the process for approving new affiliated colleges. Under the revised system, MUHS will recommend only the most suitable applicant for each available slot to the state government, instead of forwarding all eligible applications for consideration. The university has described this approach as the "one point one recommendation" policy.

A university official said the new process would help make recommendations more selective and transparent.

The university’s online application system will allow organisations to apply only for slots available under the perspective plan. Applicants who do not meet the required infrastructure and faculty standards will not be allowed to complete the application process, the official said.

MUHS will also charge the full application fee only to institutions that make it to the final recommendation list.

However, the state government will retain its powers under the MUHS Act to approve institutions that have not been recommended by the university or to permit a college for a slot not included in the perspective plan. Minority-run organisations will also be allowed to seek permission to establish new institutions irrespective of the availability of slots.

Plan to be reviewed every year

The preparation of the 2027-2032 perspective plan began in January and was completed after Venkat Gite took charge as MUHS Vice-Chancellor in August 2026.

A 16-member panel prepared the plan, which was reviewed by various university bodies, including the academic council, management council and planning board, before being finalised. The proposal was also presented to the state government.

Although the plan covers five years, MUHS will review it annually to account for population growth and changes in the number of institutions, including the opening and closure of colleges, an official informed Careers360

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