Lok Sabha Question No. 3614 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Additional MBBS and PG Seats
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3614 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 th MARCH 2026

## ADDITIONALMBBS AND PG SEATS

## 3614. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

(a) the manner in which additional MBBS and PG seats approved under Phase-III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening and upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges/Standalone PG Institutes/Government Hospitals are being allocated through a transparent and needs-based framework, particularly for aspirational and underserved districts including those in Rajasthan;

(b) whether long-term health workforce planning has been undertaken to align seat expansion with projected regional demand for doctors and specialists along with estimates of additional faculty requirements arising therefrom, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the manner in which the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025 and the CBME Curriculum Guidelines, 2024 support faculty availability, medico-legal training and quality standards; and

(d) the steps envisaged to enhance affordability, ensure greater fee transparency in private medical colleges and position of India as a global hub for high-quality medical education?

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

(a) & (b): The Government has approved Phase-III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for strengthening and upgradation of existing State Government/ Central Government Medical Colleges/ Standalone PG Institutes/ Government Hospitals for increasing 5,000 PG seats and extension of the CSS for upgradation of existing government medical colleges for increasing 5,023 MBBS seats with an enhanced cost ceiling of ₹1.50 crore per seat from financial year 2025-26 to 2028-29. Guidelines for implementation of these schemes have been issued in November, 2025, wherein, States and UTs including Rajasthan have been requested to send the Detailed Project Report with proper Gap Analysis. While sending the proposals, States/UTs have been requested to give priority to the institutes in underserved/rural areas and certain broad specialities. The expansion of medical seats reduce the gap in the healthcare workforce, particularly in underserved region and has a direct bearing on the doctorpopulation ratio across States, including Rajasthan.

(c) & (d): The National Medical Commission (NMC) has notified the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025 to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals and to enhance the quality of medical education. These regulations aim to widen the pool of eligible faculty and facilitate expansion of MBBS and PG seats through following measures:

i. Non-teaching government hospitals with 220+ beds can now be designated as teaching hospitals.

ii. Specialists with 10 years' experience can be appointed as Associate Professors, and those with 2 years experience as Assistant Professors, without mandatory Senior Residency, Senior Consultants with 3 years of teaching experience in NBEMS-recognized institutions are now eligible for the post of Professor.

iii. Diploma holders with 6 years cumulative experience as specialists or medical officers in government institutions are eligible as Assistant Professor.

Additionally, the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) Guidelines, 2024, issued under the framework of the National Medical Commission (NMC), strengthen medico-legal training and quality standards in medical education by emphasizing competency-based learning, ethical practice, and accountability in healthcare. The guidelines integrate medico-legal aspects into the undergraduate medical curriculum to ensure that medical graduates are well equipped to handle legal, ethical, and professional responsibilities in clinical practice.

Further, relaxation in PG course norms has been introduced whereby PG courses can commence with two (02) faculty members and two (02) seats, and bed/unit requirements have been rationalized. More feeder specialties have been made eligible for super-specialty programs, thus widening the faculty pool. Furthermore, the faculty requirements for MBBS courses as prescribed under the UG-MSR, 2023, are required to be maintained by Medical Colleges.

The fee structure for MBBS course differs from State to State in Government / Private Medical Colleges as per the guidelines issued by concerned State Fee Regulatory Authorities. Further, the fee structure of Government medical colleges is subsidized thereby contributing to making medical education affordable and accessible.

Guidelines have been framed under clause (i) of Sub- section (1) of section 10 of National Medical Commission Act, 2019 for determination of fees and all other charges in respect of 50% of seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities which were issued by National Medical Commission on 03.02.2022. However, the guidelines have been challenged in various courts and are subjudice.

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