Lok Sabha Question No. 1117 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-25
Subject: Need to Increase Medical Seats
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Kalyan Banerjee

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1117 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH JULY, 2025

## NEEDTOINCREASEMEDICALSEATS

## 1117. SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that there is a need to significantly increase medical seats in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, for achieving the WHO recommended doctor population ratio of 1:1000 and the National Medical Council (NMC's) reported ratio of 1:856; (b) if so, the details thereof along with the target and present status thereof;
- (c) the total patient bed capacity prescribed in the UG-MSR and the consideration of Government for Quality of Medical Colleges in India for hospitals and newly established medical colleges therefor, department-wise; and
- (d) the details of report including the manner in which these adjustments will address geographic and regional disparities thereto?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) & (b): The government has increased number of Medical Colleges, Under Graduate(UG) and Post Graduate(PG) seats. There is an increase in Medical Colleges from 387 to 780; UG seats from 51,348 to 1,15,900 and PG seats from 31,185 to 74,306 from 2014 to as on date.

As per information provided by National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,86,157 registered allopathic doctors. The Ministry of AYUSH has informed that there are 7,51,768 registered practitioners in the AYUSH system of medicine. Assuming that 80% of registered practitioners in both the allopathic and AYUSH systems are available, the doctor-population ratio in the country is estimated to be 1:811.

(c) & (d): The Guidelines for Undergraduate Courses, as outlined in the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations 2023 (MSR-2023), specifies the minimum infrastructure and faculty requirements based on student intake. As per MSR, department wise bed strength corresponding to number of seats is at Annexure .

To address geographic and regional disparities, the Government is implementing following schemes with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts:

-  Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 131 new medical colleges are functional out of 157 approved medical colleges.
-  Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
-  Under 'Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks' of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which 71 projects are complete.
-  Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved. Undergraduate courses have been started in 19 of these.

****

Annexure referred to in reply to Parts (c) and (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1117 for reply on 25.07.2025.

## ANNEXURE

| BEDS FOR MBBS SEAT CAPACITY   | 50                            | 100                           | 150                           | 200                           | 250                           |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| GENERAL MEDICINE              | 50                            | 100                           | 150                           | 220                           | 225                           |
| PEDIATRICS                    | 25                            | 50                            | 75                            | 100                           | 125                           |
| DERMATOLOGY                   | 5                             | 10                            | 10                            | 10                            | 10                            |
| PSYCHIATRY                    | 5                             | 10                            | 15                            | 20                            | 25                            |
| GENERAL SURGERY *             | 50                            | 100                           | 150                           | 150                           | 200                           |
| ORTHOPEDICS                   | 20                            | 40                            | 60                            | 80                            | 100                           |
| OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY(ENT)      | 10                            | 20                            | 20                            | 30                            | 30                            |
| OPHTALMOLOGY                  | 10                            | 20                            | 20                            | 30                            | 30                            |
| OBSTETRICS ANDGYNAECOLOGY     | 25                            | 50                            | 75                            | 100                           | 125                           |
| ICUs                          | 20                            | 20                            | 30                            | 30                            | 30                            |
| TOTAL                         | 220                           | 420                           | 605                           | 770                           | 900                           |
| OPD/DAY                       | 400                           | 800                           | 1200                          | 1600                          | 2000                          |
| MAJOR OT                      | 4                             | 7                             | 9                             | 10                            | 11                            |
| MINOR OT                      | 1 for each surgical specialty | 1 for each surgical specialty | 1 for each surgical specialty | 1 for each surgical specialty | 1 for each surgical specialty |