Lok Sabha Question No. 90 (STARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Shortage of MBBS Doctors
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Vijay Baghel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 90 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH FEBRUARY, 2020 SHORTAGE OF MBBS DOC TORS

## †*90. SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

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

- (a) whether there is a shortage of MBBS doctors in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT - wise including in Chhattisgarh;
- (c) whether any steps have been taken or bein g taken to increase the number of seats in various medical institutes or colleges throughout the country; an
- (d) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to ( d):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 90 FOR 7 TH FEBRUARY, 2020

(a)  &  (b)  Medical  Council  of  India  (MCI)  informed  that  there  are  a 12,01,354 allopathic doctors registered with the State Medic Councils/Medical Council of India as on 30 th September , 2019. Assuming 80% availability,  it  is  estimated  that  around  9.61  lakh  doctors  may  be  a available for active service. It gives a d octor - population ratio of 1:1404 as per current population estimate of 1.35 billion against the WHO prescribed ra 1:1000. The details of number of doctors registered with the concerned Medical Council State/UT - wise including Chhattisgarh are at Annexure.

(c)  &  (d)  The  Central  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  increase number of medical seats in the country. 29185 MBBS seats increased during last five years. The measures adopted include:

i. Establishment of New Medical Colleges attached with district/referral hospitals in underserved districts of the country.

ii.  Strengthening/  upgradation  of  existing  State  Government/Cent Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.

iii. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure iv. Minimum requirement of land for establishment of medical college metropolitan cities as notified under Article 243P(c) of the Consti of India h as been dispensed with.

v. Enhancement of maximum intake capacity at MBBS level from 150 to 250.

vi. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty take care of shortage of faculty.

vii. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extens ion/ re - employment against posts of teachers/dean/principal/ director in medical college 70 years.

viii. The ratio of teachers to students for Professor has been revis 1:1 to 1:2 for all MD/MS disciplines and 1:1 to 1:3 in all clinical s in Government funded medical colleges and in Private medical colleg with 15 years standing. Further, for Associate Professor, the said ra been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 and 1:3 if he/she is a unit head in all subjects in Government medica l colleges and in Private medical colleges with 15 years standing. This would result in increase in number of seats in the country.

ix.  By  amending  the  regulations,  it  has  been  made  mandatory  for medical colleges to start PG courses within 3 years f rom the date of their MBBS recognition /continuation of recognition.

x. Colleges are allowed to apply for PG courses in clinical subjects time of 4th renewal. It will serve to advance the process for start courses by more than 1 year.

xi. Prov ision has been made in the regulations to offer less number seats to the applicant medical college, in case, it falls short of prescribed  requirements  of  applied  intake  to  avoid  wastage  of  hum resources.

xii. A Consortium (a group of 2 or upto 4 private organizations) has been allowed to establish a medical college.

Shortage of doctors varies in different States. The shortage is more uneven  rural - urban  distribution.  Public  health  and  hospitals,  being  a  S subject,  the  primary  respons ibility  to  ensure  availability  of  doctors  in  pub health facilities lies with the State/UT Governments and no data with reg shortage of doctors in the States is maintained centrally. However, und National Health Mission (NHM), financial and t echnical support is provided to States/UTs  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems  including  support engagement of doctors on contractual basis, based on the requirements pose the  States/UTs  in  their  Programme  Implementation  Plans  (PIPs).  States encouraged to adopt flexible norms for engaging specialist doctors for health  facilities.  Financial  support  is  also  provided  to  States  for  p performance - based incentives, hard area allowance, providing accommodation and transport facilities in rural and remote areas, sponsoring training programmes, etc for engaged human resources to address the issue of short in the public health facilities.

Annexure Number of Doctors Registered with State Medical Councils /

## Medical Council of India as on 30 th September, 2019

| S.     | Name of the State         | Number of Registered   |
|--------|---------------------------|------------------------|
| No. 1. | Andhra Pradesh            | 100587                 |
| 2.     | Arunachal Pradesh         | 1021                   |
| 3.     | Assam                     | 23902                  |
| 4.     | Bihar                     | 44642                  |
| 5.     | Chattisgarh               | 9355                   |
| 6.     | Delhi                     | 24999                  |
| 7.     | Goa                       | 3890                   |
| 8.     | Gujarat                   | 69746                  |
| 9.     | Haryana                   | 12345                  |
| 10.    | Himachal                  | 3054                   |
| 11.    | Jammu & Kashmir           | 15422                  |
| 12.    | Jharkhand                 | 6468                   |
| 13.    | Karnataka                 | 124663                 |
| 14.    | Madhya Pradesh            | 39044                  |
| 15.    | Maharashtra               | 179783                 |
| 16.    | Kerala                    | 60565                  |
| 17.    | Mizoram                   | 74                     |
| 18.    | Nagaland                  | 134                    |
| 19.    | Orissa                    | 22521                  |
| 20.    | Punjab                    | 48351                  |
| 21.    | Rajasthan                 | 43992                  |
| 22.    | Sikkim                    | 1414                   |
| 23.    | Tamil Nadu                | 138821                 |
| 24.    | Uttar Pradesh             | 81348                  |
| 25.    | Uttarakhand               | 8617                   |
| 26.    | West Bengal               | 74054                  |
| 27.    | Tripura                   | 1945                   |
| 28.    | Telangana                 | 7931                   |
| 29.    | Medical Council of India* | 52666                  |
|        | Total                     | 12,01,354              |

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

*  52666  doctors  were  registered  only  with  MCI.  They  are  presumably  working  in States / U Ts which do not have a medical register or anywhere in the country.