Lok Sabha Question No. 208 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: Increase in Medical Seats
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *208 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## INCREASE IN MEDICAL SEATS

## *208. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently given approval to increase the number of undergraduate and post-graduate medical seats across the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether any steps have been envisaged to ensure that aspirational and underserved regions of the country, particularly in Rajasthan receive priority in allocation of new seats;
- (c) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has introduced new regulations for a more inclusive and competency-based approach to medical faculty recruitment, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the manner in which these reforms are likely to address regional disparities in medical education and meet the shortage of qualified faculty?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 208* FOR 13 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

(a) to (e): 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 have been requested to give priority to the institutes in underserved/rural areas and certain broad specialities.

National Medical Commission (NMC), as an apex regulatory body entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the quality of medical education has notified various Regulations namely Minimum Standards Requirement (MSR), Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER), 2023, Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER-2023), Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Curriculum Guidelines 2024 and Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025. The amendments introduced in the new Medical Institution (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations 2025 are designed to significantly expand the pool of qualified faculty by adopting a more inclusive, competency-based recruitment system. Further, recognising more hospitals as teaching institutions and relaxing norms for starting and expanding courses further supports the growth of medical colleges in semi-urban and rural regions, promoting more equitable access to medical education nationwide. All these reforms promote equitable access to medical education and strengthen the overall healthcare workforce across the country.

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