India approves over 10,000 new medical seats to boost healthcare access
In a significant push towards achieving universal health coverage, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the addition of 10,023 medical seats across government colleges and hospitals. The initiative, backed by an investment of Rs. 15,034 crore, aims to strengthen India’s medical education infrastructure and address the shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in underserved rural and tribal areas.
The decision, announced on September 24, 2025, includes 5,000 postgraduate and 5,023 undergraduate medical seats to be rolled out by 2028-29. This move is part of a broader vision to create 75,000 new medical seats over the next five years, ensuring quality healthcare reaches every corner of the country. The Union government will fund 68.5% of the project (Rs. 10,303.20 crore), with the remaining Rs. 4,731.30 crore contributed by states. The investment translates to approximately Rs. 1.5 crore per seat.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the initiative’s impact, stating on X, “Approval of Phase-III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme will add significant PG and UG medical seats. This will improve our healthcare system and enhance medical education infrastructure. It will ensure that every part of India has availability of skilled doctors.”
India’s medical education landscape has seen remarkable growth over the past decade. The number of medical colleges has doubled from 387 in 2013-14 to 808 in 2025-26, with undergraduate (MBBS) seats rising by 141% to 1,23,700 and postgraduate seats increasing by 144%. Additionally, 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana to enhance tertiary healthcare and medical education.
To support this expansion, the National Medical Commission introduced the Medical Institution (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, in July. These reforms aim to address faculty shortages and expedite the creation of new medical seats. Key changes include allowing non-teaching government hospitals with over 220 beds to serve as teaching institutions and enabling experienced specialists to take up faculty roles without mandatory senior residency, provided they complete the Basic Course in Biomedical Research (BCBR) within two years. The regulations also permit new government medical colleges to start undergraduate and postgraduate courses simultaneously, accelerating the production of healthcare professionals.
The addition of 10,023 medical seats is expected to have far-reaching benefits. It will provide more opportunities for aspiring medical students, enhance the quality of medical education to meet global standards, and increase the availability of skilled doctors and specialists, particularly in underserved regions. The initiative is also likely to create direct and indirect jobs, including roles for doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers, and support personnel.
By leveraging existing infrastructure, the expansion ensures cost-effectiveness and equitable distribution of healthcare resources across states and union territories. The move is poised to position India as a global hub for affordable healthcare, boosting foreign exchange through medical tourism while strengthening socio-economic development through improved healthcare access.
The approval of these new medical seats builds on India’s ongoing efforts to address the critical shortage of healthcare professionals. With a population of 1.4 billion, ensuring quality healthcare for all, especially in remote and tribal areas, remains a priority. The initiative is expected to improve health outcomes for millions, reduce disparities in healthcare access, and reinforce India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in medical education and healthcare delivery.
