Parliament Question: Impact of NEET-based Admissions on Medical Seats

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 950 TOBE ANSWERED ON24THJULY,2026 IMPACTOFNEET-BASEDADMISSIONS ONMEDICALSEATS 950.SHRIMADDILAGURUMOORTHY: Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Government has reviewed the impact of NEET-based admissions on availabilityof medical seats for students from rural andregionallanguage backgrounds; (b) if so, the detailsthereof; (c) whether the Government has received any requests from States for greater flexibility in admissions toGovernment medical collegesandif so, the detailsthereof; (d) the number of MBBS seats added in Government medical colleges during the last five years, State/UT-wise; and (e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure fair, transparent and accessible medical admissions across the country? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIJAGATPRAKASH NADDA) (a)to(e): Section 14 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019providesfor the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) as the common entrance examination for medicaladmissions, which can be conductedthrough a designatedauthority. NEET (UG) serves as the common entrance examination for admission to MBBS/ BDS/ BAMS/ BSMS/ BUMS/ BHMS and other Under-Graduate medical courses in approved/recognized Medical/Dental /AYUSH and other Colleges/ Deemed Universities /Institutes (AIIMS & JIPMER) in India. The NEET (UG) is conducted in following 13 languages: English, Hindi,Assamese, Bengali,Gujarati,Kannada,Malayalam,Marathi, Odia, Punjabi,Tamil, Telugu, andUrdu. The Government hastaken several measures to increase the availabilityof MBBS seats in the country. Academic year(A.Y.) wise numberof Undergraduate(MBBS) seats increased inlast Fiveyearsare asunder: S.No. AcademicYear No of UG seats increased TotalNo.ofUG(MBBS)seats (Academicyearwise) intheCountry 1. 2022-23 7,398 99,4632. 2023-24 9,652 1,09,115 3. 2024-25 8,641 1,17,756 4. 2025-26 11,682 1,28,976 5. 2026-27 10,513 1,39,489 Further, The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) conducts the counselling for seats of undergraduate (UG/MBBS) and postgraduate (PG) medical courses asper the scheme devised by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. Counselling for UG covers 15% all India quota seats; 100% seats of Central Institutes/ Universities, Deemed Universities; 100% seats in all the Institutes of National Importance (INI). Counselling for PG courses covers 50% seats of All India Quota seats, 100% seats of Central Institutes/Universities and Deemed Universities. Counselling for the State quota seats in UG and PG medical courses is conducted by the respective State Governments. ******