Executive Summary:
This document addresses a query regarding medical education seats in India. It details the increase in MBBS seats from 2020-21 to the present, the number of vacant seats in recent years, the infrastructure standards for medical colleges, and government initiatives to increase the number of medical seats and colleges. The information covers the period 2020-2025, with data up to August 1, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **MBBS Seat Availability:**
* MBBS seats have increased from 83,275 in the academic year 2020-21 to 115,900 currently.
* State/UT-wise details of MBBS seats from 2020-21 to 2024-25, including Andhra Pradesh, are provided in an annexure.
* **Vacant Seats:**
* The number of vacant undergraduate (UG) seats, excluding AIIMS and JIPMER, in medical colleges across the country for academic years 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 were 2012, 4146, 2959 and 2849 respectively.
* **Infrastructure Standards:**
* The National Medical Commission (NMC) has framed the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023.
* Minimum of 220 functional beds required for colleges with 50 student intake.
* Mandatory establishment of Medical Education Unit, Research Centre, Child Care Centre, Museum, and Practical Laboratories.
* Full-time teaching staff prohibited from private practice during college hours.
* Appointment of visiting faculty is encouraged.
* Minimum daily OPD attendance of 8 patients (old and new) per student intake annually in each specialty/subject.
* Mandatory clinical training at urban and rural health training centers.
* **Government Initiatives to Increase Medical Seats/Colleges:**
* Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishing new medical colleges by upgrading district referral hospitals (131 functional out of 157 approved).
* Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/upgrading existing State/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
* Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) (71 projects completed out of 75 approved).
* Establishment of new AIIMS (22 approved, with undergraduate courses started in 19).
Impact Analysis:
* **Medical Students:**
* *Impact:* Increased availability of MBBS seats and improved infrastructure in medical colleges.
* *Action Required:* Be aware of the increased competition and higher standards of education.
* **Medical Colleges/Institutions:**
* *Impact:* Need to adhere to the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023, and implement government schemes.
* *Action Required:* Upgrade infrastructure, faculty, and facilities to meet NMC standards and participate in relevant government schemes.
* **National Medical Commission (NMC):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for enforcing the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023.
* *Action Required:* Monitor and ensure compliance with the regulations and provide guidance to medical colleges.
* **Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:**
* *Impact:* Overseeing the implementation of schemes to increase medical seats and improve infrastructure.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor the progress of the schemes and address any challenges in their implementation.
Key Entities Referenced
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of medical education seats.
National Medical Commission (NMC): Statutory body responsible for maintaining the standards of medical education in India.
MBBS: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, an undergraduate medical degree.
Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023: Regulations framed by NMC specifying the minimum standards for establishing and maintaining medical colleges.
AIIMS: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a group of autonomous public medical institutes of national importance.
JIPMER: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, an Institute of National Importance.
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY): A government scheme for upgrading government medical colleges and establishing super specialty blocks.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, the document contains a question asked in Lok Sabha.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2235
TOBE ANSWERED ON01ST AUGUST,2025
MEDICALEDUCATIONSEAT
2235. SHRIPUTTAMAHESH KUMAR:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the total number of medical education seats available tostudents during the last five yearsin
the country, State/UT-wise, stream-wise, especiallyinAndhra Pradesh;
(b) the total number of seats thatwere vacantacross medical colleges(public andprivate) inthe
countryduring the last five years, State/UT-wise, stream-wise, especiallyinAndhra Pradesh;
(c) whether the Government has undertaken any study/survey regarding existing infrastructure
availableat medical colleges/institutionsacross the countryduring the last five years;
(d) if so, the detailsthereof; and
(e) whether the Government has any plans of increasing the number of medical
seats/colleges/institutions and if so, the detailsthereofandif not,the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a)The Government hasincreasednumberof medicalcolleges andsubsequently the MBBS seats
therein. There is an increase of 39% in MBBS seats from 83275 in Academic year 2020-21 to
115900 as of now. The State/UT wise details of MBBS seats in the country including Andhra
Pradeshinthe year2020-21 to2024-25 are at Annexure.
(b) As informed by National Medical Commission (NMC), the numberof vacant seats across
medicalcolleges inthe countryare asunder:
Academicyear Vacant UG seats (ExcludingAIIMS & JIPMER)
2021-22 2012
2022-23 4146
2023-24 2959
2024-25 2849(c)& (d) NMC has framed the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations, 2023, which
specify the minimum standards in terms of infrastructure, faculty, clinical material, and other
necessary facilities required for establishing and maintaining medical colleges. The key
provisions of these regulationsinclude the following:
A minimum of 220 functional beds is required for medical colleges with an intake of 50
students.
Mandatory establishment of key facilities such as a Medical Education Unit, Research
Centre,Child Care Centre, Museum, PracticalLaboratoriesetc.
All teaching staff across departments must be full-time and are prohibited from engaging
inprivate practice during officialcollege hours.
Appointment of visiting faculty to enhance the comprehensiveness and quality of
teaching.
Minimum daily outpatient (OPD) attendance of 8 patients (both old and new) per student
intake annuallyisrequired ineachspecialty/subject.
Mandatory clinical training through structured postings at both urban and rural health
trainingcenters, ensuring community-based andhands-on learning.
(e) The measures/steps taken by the Government to increase the number of medical
seats/colleges/institutions inthe countryinclude:-
i. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading
district/ referral hospital with preference to underserved area and aspirational districts,
under which 131 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved
medicalcolleges.
ii. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State
Government/Central Government Medical Collegestoincrease MBBS andPGseats.
iii. Under“UpgradationofGovernmentMedicalCollegesbyconstructionofSuperSpecialty
Blocks” of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75
projectshave beenapproved,of which 71 projectsare complete.
iv. Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been
approved.Undergraduate courses have beenstarted in19 of these.Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2235 for
answeron01/08/2025
Annexure
State/UTwise detailsof MBBS seats inthecountryin theyear2024-25
S. Total Number of MBBS Total Number of MBBS
Name of the State/UT
No. Seats(2020-21) Seats(2024-25)
1 Andaman& Nicobar Islands 100 114
2 Andhra Pradesh 5210 6585
3 Arunachal Pradesh 50 100
4 Assam 1050 1700
5 Bihar 2140 2995
6 Chandigarh 150 150
7 Chhattisgarh 1345 2105
8 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 150 177
9 Delhi 1422 1346
10 Goa 180 200
11 Gujarat 5700 7000
12 Haryana 1660 2185
13 HimachalPradesh 920 920
14 Jammu & Kashmir 1135 1385
15 Jharkhand 780 1055
16 Karnataka 9345 12194
17 Kerala 4105 4705
18 Madhya Pradesh 3585 4900
19 Maharashtra 9000 11844
20 Manipur 225 525
21 Meghalaya 50 150
22 Mizoram 100 100
23 Nagaland 0 100
24 Orissa 1950 2675
25 Puducherry 1530 1873
26 Punjab 1425 169927 Rajasthan 4200 6279
28 Sikkim 50 150
29 Tamil Nadu 8000 12000
30 Telangana 5240 8915
31 Tripura 225 400
32 Uttar Pradesh 7428 12325
33 Uttarakhand 825 1350
34 West Bengal 4000 5699
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