India Approves 10,023 New Medical Seats

New Delhi/Dubai: In a major push to strengthen India’s healthcare and medical education, the Indian Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs150.3 billion ($1.8 billion) scheme to add 5,000 postgraduate (PG) and 5,023 MBBS seats across government medical institutions.

The decision, taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launches Phase III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) to upgrade state and central government medical colleges, standalone PG institutes, and hospitals. The expansion will be implemented at a cost of Rs15 million per seat.

The scheme will run from 2025–26 to 2028–29, with the central government contributing Rs103.03 billion and state governments Rs47.31 billion. This move aligns with Modi’s 2024 Independence Day pledge to create 75,000 new medical seats over five years to bolster India’s healthcare infrastructure.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel 

India currently has 808 medical colleges—the highest in the world—with an intake of 123,700 MBBS seats. In the past decade, the country added 69,352 MBBS seats (127% growth) and 43,041 PG seats (143% growth).

Officials and Experts Weigh In

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the creation of 10,000 additional medical seats in the 2025 Union Budget. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) welcomed the move but raised concerns about infrastructure and employment opportunities for graduates.

Dr Rajeev Jaydevan, former IMA president from Cochin, warned that merely increasing seats would not address rural-urban doctor imbalances. Young doctors often prefer urban centers due to better facilities, leaving rural areas underserved.

Migration of Indian doctors abroad remains a challenge. In 2021, nearly 19,000 Indian physicians were part of OECD country workforces, with over 2,800 migrating that year. Low pay and infrastructure gaps in India exacerbate the issue, with some medical professionals earning less than Rs20,000 per month.

Experts stress that increasing seats must be paired with systemic reforms, including improving hospital infrastructure, offering rural incentives, expanding postgraduate and super-specialty seats, and strengthening existing institutions.

Government Perspective

The Cabinet stated the scheme aims to improve healthcare access in underserved areas, raise training standards, and create jobs in education, health services, and support functions. However, experts caution that without systemic reforms, the expansion may deepen urban oversupply, rural shortages, and brain drain.