Cabinet approves major expansion of postgraduate and undergraduate medical education capacity in country

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Phase-Ill of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for strengthening and upgradation of existing State Government/ Central Government Medical Colleges/ Standalone PG Institutes/ Government Hospitals for increasing 5,000 PG seats and extension of the CSS for upgradation of existing government medical colleges for increasing 5,023 MBBS seats with an enhanced cost ceiling of Rs.1.50 crore per seat.

This initiative will significantly augment undergraduate medical capacity, increase the availability of specialist doctors by creating additional postgraduate seats, and enable the introduction of new specialities across Government medical institutions. This will strengthen the overall availability of doctors in the country.

The total financial implications of these two schemes are Rs 15,034.50 crore for a period from 2025-26 to 2028-29. Out of Rs 15034.50 crore, the central share is Rs 10,303.20 crore and the state share is Rs 4731.30 crore.

Schemes for augmenting medical seats in government medical colleges/institutions across State/UTs will help increase the availability of doctors and specialists in the country, thereby improving access to quality healthcare, especially in underserved areas. It will also leverage existing infrastructure for cost-effective expansion of tertiary healthcare in the Government institutions as expansion of postgraduate seats ensures a steady supply of specialists in critical disciplines.

These schemes aim to promote balanced regional distribution of healthcare resources, while being cost-effective by leveraging existing infrastructure. In the long run, they strengthen the country’s health systems to meet existing and emerging health needs.

The target of these schemes is to increase 5000 PG seats and 5023 UG seats in government institutions by 2028-2029. Detailed guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) for the implementation of the schemes.

Realising Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for 1.4 billion people critically depends on building a robust healthcare system capable of delivering timely, high-standard services at all levels–particularly in rural, tribal, and hard-to-reach communities. A strong healthcare system hinges on the availability of a skilled and adequate workforce.

India’s healthcare education and workforce infrastructure have witnessed significant growth in recent years, reflecting a sustained policy focus on expanding access and improving quality. As of date, India has 808 medical colleges, the highest in the world, with a total intake capacity of 1,23,700 MBBS seats. Over the last decade, we have added 69,352 new MBBS seats, representing a 127% growth. Similarly, during this period, 43,041 PG seats were added, showing an impressive increase of 143%. In spite of this notable growth in number of medical seats, in certain regions there is a need to enhance capacities to match the demand, access and affordability of healthcare.

Further, the twenty-two new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) approved under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), apart from providing tertiary healthcare services, are also playing an essential role in building a pool of health professionals with the highest standards of medical competence with their state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities.

To expand the pool of qualified faculty, new Medical Institution (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations 2025 have been issued by adopting a more inclusive and competency-based approach to faculty eligibility and recruitment. These changes aim to address the growing requirement of teaching personnel and meet the academic and professional standards.

To augment the availability of qualified human resources in health, MoH&FW is administering these schemes, and their further extension underscores the Government’s commitment to creating capacity for the production of more medical professionals, strengthening human resources for health, and improving access to quality healthcare services for the people of India. (ANI)