Lok Sabha Question No. 1140 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Doctor-Population Ratio
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1140 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## DOCTOR - POPULATION RATIO

## 1140. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware about the WHO's recommendation regarding doctor - population ratio of 1:1000;
- (b) if so, the present details of the availability of Allopathic Government doctors in the country, State/ UT - wise including Tamil Nadu;
- (c) whether the ratio is very less as compared to the WHO's recommended doctor - population ratio;
- (d) if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (e) As per information provided by the Board of Governors in supersession of Me Council of  India (MCI), 12,55,786 allopathic doctors are registered in the country as th June, 2020. Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 10.05 lakh doctors m actually available for active service. It gives a doctor - populati n ratio of 1:1343 as per current population estimate of 135 crore. The details of number of doctors registered with the co State Medical Council State/UT - wise are at Annexure. Besides, there are 7.88 lakh Ayurveda, Unani  and  Homeopathy  (AUH)  doctors  i n  the  country.  Assuming  80%  availability,  it  is estimated  that  around  6.30  lakh  Ayurveda,  Unani  and  Homeopathy  (AUH)  doctors  may  be actually available for service and considered together with allopathic doctors, it give population ratio of 1:825.

The number of MBBS seats has been increased by 48% over the last six years (from 54,3 in 2014 to 80,312 in 2020). The number of PG seats has increased by 79% over the same pe (from 23,503 in 2014 to 54,094 in 2020). The Government has taken various steps to further increase the availability of human resource in the country which include:

- i. Establishment  of  New  Medical  Colleges  attached  with  district/referral  hospital underserved districts of the country.
- ii. Strengthening/ upgradation of existing Stat e Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
- iii. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of Medical College in terms of requiremen faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure.
- iv. Enhancement of maximum intake capac ity at MBBS level from 150 to 250.
- v. DNB  qualification  has  been  recognized  for  appointment  as  faculty  to  take  care shortage of faculty.
- vi. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re - employment  against  posts  of teachers/dean/principal/ director i n medical colleges upto 70 years.
- vii. The ratio of teachers to students for Professor has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 MD/MS disciplines and 1:1 to 1:3 in all clinical subjects in Government funded med colleges and in Private medical colleges with 15 years standing. Further, for Associate Professor, the said ratio has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 and 1:3 if he/she is a in all clinical subjects in Government medical colleges and in Private medical co with  15  years  standing.  This  would result  in  increase  in  number  of  PG  seats  in  the country.
- viii. By amending the regulations, it has been made mandatory for all medical colleges to PG  courses  within  3  years  from  the  date  of  their  MBBS  recognition  /continuation recognition.
- ix. Colleges are allowed to apply for PG medical courses in clinical subjects at the tim 4 th renewal. It will serve to advance the process for starting PG medical courses by than 1 year.
- x. Provision has been made in the regulations to offer less number of seats to the applicant medical college, in case, it falls short of minimum prescribed requirements of a intake to avoid wastage of human resources.
- xi. A Consortium (a group of 2 or upto 4 private organizations) has been allowed to est a medical college.

Number of Doctors Registered with State Medical Councils / Medical Council of India as on 30 th June. 2020

| S. No.   | Name of the State         | Number of Registered Doctors   |
|----------|---------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh            | 102924                         |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh         | 1179                           |
| 3.       | Assam                     | 24083                          |
| 4.       | Bihar                     | 45795                          |
| 5.       | Chattisgarh               | 10020                          |
| 6.       | Delhi                     | 26685                          |
| 7.       | Goa                       | 4035                           |
| 8.       | Gujarat                   | 69746                          |
| 9.       | Haryana                   | 14517                          |
| 10.      | Himachal Pradesh          | 3406                           |
| 11.      | Jammu & Kashmir           | 16491                          |
| 12.      | Jharkhand                 | 6837                           |
| 13.      | Karnataka                 | 130698                         |
| 14.      | Madhya Pradesh            | 40171                          |
| 15.      | Maharashtra               | 188540                         |
| 16.      | Kerala                    | 65685                          |
| 17.      | Mizoram                   | 118                            |
| 18.      | Nagaland                  | 141                            |
| 19.      | Orissa                    | 24780                          |
| 20.      | Punjab                    | 51685                          |
| 21.      | Rajasthan                 | 46253                          |
| 22.      | Sikkim                    | 1414                           |
| 23.      | Tamil Nadu                | 148216                         |
| 24.      | Uttar Pradesh             | 84560                          |
| 25.      | Uttarakhand               | 9348                           |
| 26.      | West Bengal               | 75917                          |
| 27.      | Tripura                   | 1945                           |
| 28.      | Telangana                 | 7931                           |
| 29.      | Medical Council of India* | 52666                          |
|          | Total                     | 12,55,786                      |

Note - The  other  States  /  UTs  do  not have  their  own  Medical  Registration  Council. Hence, their doctors get registration with the Councils of other neighboring States.

* 52666 doctors were registered only with MCI.