Cabinet clears plan to add 5,023 MBBS, 5,000 PG medical seats across India

The initiative will help increase the availability of specialist doctors, introduce new medical specialties, and expand overall medical education capacity

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved Phase-III of the centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) for upgrading and strengthening medical colleges and hospitals. The plan aims to increase 5,000 postgraduate (PG) seats and 5,023 undergraduate (MBBS) seats in government medical institutions. Each seat will now have an enhanced cost ceiling of ₹1.50 crore.

 

This initiative will help increase the availability of specialist doctors, introduce new medical specialties, and expand overall medical education capacity in India, strengthening the healthcare system.

 

The total cost of both schemes is ₹15,034.50 crore for the period 2025-26 to 2028-29. The central share is ₹10,303.20 crore, while the state share is ₹4,731.30 crore.   

 

Key benefits

 

The expansion schemes will:

• Improve access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved rural and remote areas

• Leverage existing infrastructure to cost-effectively expand tertiary healthcare

• Ensure a steady supply of specialists in critical medical disciplines

• Promote balanced regional distribution of healthcare resources

 

Expected impact

 

The schemes are expected to deliver several benefits:

• More opportunities for students to pursue medical education in India

• Improved quality of medical education to meet global standards

• Adequate availability of doctors and specialists, positioning India as a destination for affordable healthcare

• Bridging healthcare gaps in underserved rural and remote areas

• Employment generation for doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers, administrators, and support services

• Strengthened health system resilience, contributing to socio-economic development

• Equitable distribution of healthcare infrastructure across states and Union Territories

 

The target is to achieve 5,000 new PG seats and 5,023 new UG seats in government institutions by 2028-29.   

 

The background

 

Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for India’s 1.4 billion people requires a robust healthcare system with sufficient skilled workforce. India has made significant strides in medical education, with 808 medical colleges and a total intake of 1,23,700 MBBS seats, the highest in the world.

 

In the last decade:

• 69,352 MBBS seats were added, marking a growth of 127 per cent

• 43,041 PG seats were added, a growth of 143 per cent

 

Despite this progress, certain regions still require enhanced capacity to meet growing healthcare demand.