India Adds 43 New Medical Colleges, Thousands of MBBS and PG Seats Approved

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced a major expansion in medical education infrastructure with the establishment of 43 new medical colleges across India for the academic year 2025–26. Alongside this, the Government has approved 11,682 MBBS seats and 8,967 postgraduate (PG) seats , including those in AIIMS and other Institutes of National Importance (INIs).

The National Medical Commission (NMC) conducts an annual process inviting applications from medical colleges seeking to establish new institutions or increase UG and PG seats. After a thorough scrutiny and assessment, approvals are granted in accordance with the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, and the Minimum Standard Requirements (UGMSR and PGMSR), 2023.

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the “Establishment of New Medical Colleges attached with Existing District/Referral Hospitals,” a total of 157 medical colleges have been approved in three phases with a total outlay of ₹41,332.41 crore. The scheme gives preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, particularly where no government or private medical college exists. Funding is shared between the Centre and State Governments, with ratios of 90:10 for North-Eastern and Special Category States and 60:40 for others. Of the central share of ₹26,715.84 crore, ₹23,246.10 crore has already been released.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel , conveyed this information in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare education and increasing the availability of trained medical professionals across the country.

This expansion aims to meet growing healthcare demands, improve regional access to medical education, and support the nation’s long-term public health goals.