NMC Permission for Seat Increase on Hold, Karnataka DME yet to Release Seat Matrix

Bengaluru: Even though the results of the National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET-2025) examination have been declared, the Department of Medical Education (DME) of the State is yet to release the medical seat matrix in Karnataka.

This year, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has prepared in advance to conduct the Common Entrance Test (CET-2025) and NEET counselling simultaneously for admission to various professional courses. Accordingly, KEA had also set a deadline for the release of the seat matrix. While the deadline has already expired, DME has not submitted the medical seat matrix. The last date to submit the seat matrix was June 4, 2025.

Reportedly, the delay is because the National Medical Commission (NMC) has not yet given its approval to enhance undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical seats in the medical colleges across the State for the academic year 2025-2026.

Back in March 2025, the DME had submitted a proposal to the Apex Medical Commission to enhance altogether 800 MBBS and 700 PG medical seats for the State. However, even after three months of submitting the request, NMC has not yet granted its permission for seat enhancement.

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As per the latest media report by The Hindu, the DME has already prepared a tentative medical seat matrix for the academic year 2025-2026, including the number of additional seats proposed in the request submitted to the NMC and the seats available in government medical college proposed to be set up in Ramanagara and the Farookh Academy of Medical Education in Mysuru starting this year.

Currently, Karnataka has 71 medical colleges with an intake capacity of 12,395 MBBS seats available this year. Additionally, the State also has 3,355 dental seats ub 45 dental colleges, 39,595 BSc Nursing seats in 650 nursing colleges, 16,441 Allied Health Sciences seats in 202 Allied Health Sciences colleges, and 5,710 seats in 120 Physiotherapy colleges.

Further, there are 47 postgraduate medical colleges in Karnataka with an intake capacity of 4,027 PG medical seats, 31 PG dental colleges having 846 MDS seats, 204 PG nursing colleges having 4,772 seats, 43 PG allied health sciences colleges having 1,217 seats and 41 PG physiotherapy colleges having 819 seats.

Commenting on the delay in submitting the seat matrix, the Director of DME, B.L.Sujatha Rathod told The Hindu, "It is not known why the NMC is delaying the increase in seats in medical courses. Already, the NMC has served show-cause notices to 22 government medical colleges and several private medical colleges that are facing problems, including non-appointment of necessary faculty. We have given an appropriate response to the NMC in this regard. So, we are hoping that we may get permission to increase the UG and PG medical seats before the NEET results. The matrix will be submitted as soon as the NMC gives permission."

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