New Medical Colleges Approved in India: The Government of India has significantly expanded the country’s medical education capacity by approving 43 new medical colleges and 11,682 MBBS seats for the academic year 2025–26. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Parliament, marking another major step toward strengthening India’s healthcare workforce.
According to the official statement, the government has also approved 8,967 postgraduate (PG) medical seats across the country. The information was shared in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel.
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Overview of the Announcement
| Category | Approved Numbers (2025–26) |
|---|---|
| New Medical Colleges | 43 |
| MBBS Seats | 11,682 |
| Postgraduate (PG) Seats | 8,967 |
| Institutions Covered | Medical Colleges, AIIMS & Institutes of National Importance |
These seats include admissions in government medical colleges, AIIMS, and other Institutes of National Importance (INIs) across the country.
Official Notification Reference
The announcement was made through an official Press Information Bureau (PIB) release dated 10 March 2026, titled “Update on Medical Education,” issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Key details from the notification include:
- 43 new medical colleges established for Academic Year 2025–26
- 11,682 MBBS seats approved
- 8,967 PG medical seats approved
- Data provided by the National Medical Commission (NMC)
Official Source:
PIB Release ID: 2237403
Date: 10 March 2026
Ministry: Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Year-Wise Growth of Medical Colleges and MBBS Seats in India
| Year | Medical Colleges | MBBS Seats |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 387 | 51,348 |
| 2018 | 479 | 63,835 |
| 2020 | 541 | 80,055 |
| 2022 | 654 | 96,077 |
| 2024 | 766 | 1,07,658 |
| 2025–26 | 818+ | 1,28,976+ |
Key Highlights
- Medical colleges have increased by more than 110% since 2014
- MBBS seats increased by around 150%
- The government is focusing on district-level medical colleges attached to hospitals
State-Wise Medical Colleges and MBBS Seats (Approximate Distribution)
| State | Medical Colleges | MBBS Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 86 | 11,800+ |
| Tamil Nadu | 77 | 11,600+ |
| Maharashtra | 74 | 10,500+ |
| Karnataka | 72 | 11,000+ |
| Telangana | 56 | 8,500+ |
| Andhra Pradesh | 43 | 6,800+ |
| Gujarat | 40 | 6,500+ |
| Rajasthan | 38 | 5,500+ |
| West Bengal | 37 | 5,200+ |
| Madhya Pradesh | 30 | 4,500+ |
| Bihar | 24 | 3,800+ |
| Kerala | 33 | 4,600+ |
| Odisha | 16 | 2,300+ |
| Assam | 15 | 1,900+ |
| Jharkhand | 9 | 1,300+ |
| Chhattisgarh | 13 | 1,900+ |
| Punjab | 13 | 1,750+ |
| Haryana | 15 | 1,900+ |
| Delhi | 10 | 1,500+ |
| Himachal Pradesh | 7 | 920 |
| Uttarakhand | 8 | 1,150 |
| Goa | 1 | 180 |
| Tripura | 2 | 250 |
| Meghalaya | 1 | 100 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 | 50 |
| Manipur | 3 | 375 |
| Mizoram | 1 | 100 |
| Nagaland | 1 | 100 |
| Sikkim | 1 | 150 |
(Numbers include government + private colleges approved by NMC.)
2025–26 Expansion Snapshot
| Category | Numbers |
|---|---|
| New Medical Colleges | 43 |
| New MBBS Seats | 11,682 |
| New PG Seats | 8,967 |
| Total Medical Colleges in India | 800+ |
| Total MBBS Seats in India | 1.28 lakh+ |
Major Expansion in Medical Education
The government highlighted that India’s medical education infrastructure has grown significantly over the last decade. The number of medical colleges and seats has nearly doubled.
| Year | Medical Colleges | MBBS Seats | PG Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 387 | 51,348 | 31,185 |
| 2025–26 | 818 | 1,28,976 | 85,020 |
This expansion is aimed at addressing the shortage of doctors and improving healthcare access across the country.
Government Scheme Behind New Medical Colleges
Many of the new medical colleges have been approved under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) titled:
“Establishment of New Medical Colleges Attached with Existing District/Referral Hospitals.”
Under this scheme:
- Funding Pattern
- 90:10 (Centre: State) for North-Eastern and special category states
- 60:40 for other states
The scheme focuses on districts where no medical college previously existed, helping expand medical education in underserved areas.
Role of the National Medical Commission (NMC)
The National Medical Commission (NMC) evaluates applications every year from medical colleges seeking:
- Permission to establish new colleges
- Increase MBBS seats
- Increase PG medical seats
The evaluation is conducted by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) based on infrastructure, faculty availability, hospital capacity, and academic facilities.
Impact on NEET Aspirants
The increase in seats and new colleges is expected to benefit NEET UG and NEET PG aspirants across India.
Key benefits include:
- More MBBS seats available through NEET UG counselling
- Increased PG medical training opportunities
- Better regional distribution of medical colleges
- Improved doctor-to-population ratio
This move will also strengthen India’s healthcare infrastructure by producing more trained doctors in the coming years.
Conclusion
The approval of 43 new medical colleges and over 11,000 MBBS seats for 2025–26 marks a major step in India’s effort to expand medical education and healthcare capacity. With support from the National Medical Commission and central government schemes, the initiative aims to improve medical training opportunities and ensure better healthcare availability across the country.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How many new medical colleges have been approved for 2025–26?
The Government of India has approved 43 new medical colleges for the 2025–26 academic year, according to data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Rajya Sabha.
2. How many new MBBS seats have been added in 2025–26?
A total of 11,682 new MBBS seats have been approved across various medical institutions in India for the academic session 2025–26.
3. How many postgraduate (PG) medical seats were approved?
The government has approved 8,967 new postgraduate (PG) medical seats in different medical colleges and institutions.
4. Which authority approves new medical colleges and seats in India?
The National Medical Commission (NMC) is responsible for evaluating and approving the establishment of new medical colleges and increasing MBBS and PG seats in India.
5. Where was this information officially announced?
The information was shared in Parliament (Rajya Sabha) by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, through an official written reply.
6. Will these new MBBS seats be available through NEET?
Yes. Admissions to the new MBBS seats will be conducted through NEET-UG counselling, which includes All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota counselling.
7. Under which government scheme are many of these new colleges being established?
Many new colleges are being set up under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Establishment of New Medical Colleges attached to existing district or referral hospitals.
8. Why is the government increasing MBBS seats and medical colleges?
The aim is to increase the number of trained doctors, improve healthcare infrastructure, and strengthen medical education capacity across the country.
9. How many medical colleges are there in India now?
With continuous expansion, India now has more than 800 medical colleges across government and private sectors.
10. When will admissions start for these new MBBS seats?
Admissions for these newly approved seats will begin during the NEET UG 2025 counselling process for the 2025–26 academic session.
