PM Modi announces 75,000 new medical seats in next 5 years in I-Day speech

Need to develop education system, ensure youth no longer forced to study abroad, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday outlined his government’s commitment to developing an education system that ensures young people no longer need to study abroad, announcing the introduction of 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years.

“Every year around 25,000 youths move to other nations for medical education. Some students move to such countries, which makes me worry a lot. Owing to this, we have decided that in the next five years, we will create 75,000 new medical seats,” Modi said.

Expressing concern over the number of students going abroad for studies, he said students, mostly from middle class families, are compelled to spend lakhs and crores of rupees on their education overseas.

Referencing the opening of a new campus in Nalanda University, the PM said while “we have revived Nalanda University in Bihar, we have to revive the centuries-old Nalanda spirit in the education sphere, and use it to give direction to global knowledge traditions”.

“We want to develop an education system here so that the youth of my country do not need to go abroad. Instead, people from abroad would come to India,” he added.

Modi also talked about the steps taken to increasing the number of hospitals in the past few years. “We have expanded the health infrastructure by sanctioning an increase in the number of hospitals. We have also announced an increase in the number of MBBS seats in medical colleges, so that our children can fulfil their dream of serving the nation as doctors,” he claimed.

This is in line with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s claims of doubling undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate (PG) seats in medical studies in the past ten years.

According to data released by the health ministry, MBBS seats have increased to 108,940 in 2023-24, a 112 per cent rise from 51,348 seats in 2013-14. Similarly, there were 70,674 PG seats in the country 2023-24, a 127 per cent increase from 31,185 PG seats in 2013-14.

The ministry had attributed this to an increase in the number of medical colleges that subsequently increased MBBS seats. According to data shared by the health ministry in the Rajya Sabha, there has been an 82 per cent increase in the number of medical colleges, from 387 in 2013-14 to 706 in 2023-24.

The PM also emphasised that the new education policy prioritises vernacular languages, advocating for the removal of language barriers to ensure that talent within the country is not hindered.

“I want to tell state governments and all institutions that our country’s talent must not face a language barrier. We have to focus on the importance of mother tongues in our lives, education and families,” he said.