Cabinet approves over Rs 15,000 Cr scheme to expand PG, MBBS seats
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New Delhi: In a major move to strengthen India’s healthcare workforce, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a scheme to increase 5,000 postgraduate (PG) seats and 5,023 MBBS seats under a total outlay of Rs 15,034.50 crore.
The approval marks Phase III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), aimed at upgrading and strengthening state and central government medical colleges, standalone PG institutes, and government hospitals. Under the scheme, seats will be expanded with an enhanced cost ceiling of Rs 1.50 crore per seat, according to a Cabinet communique.
The financial implications of the scheme from 2025-26 to 2028-29 amount to Rs 15,034.50 crore, with the central share being Rs 10,303.20 crore and the state share Rs 4,731.30 crore.
This initiative aligns with PM Modi’s 2024 Independence Day announcement, in which he stated that the government would create 75,000 new medical seats over five years to strengthen the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
Currently, India has 808 medical colleges, the highest in the world, with a total intake capacity of 1,23,700 MBBS seats. Over the last decade, the country added 69,352 MBBS seats, registering 127% growth, while 43,041 PG seats were introduced, reflecting a 143% increase. Despite this growth, some regions still require enhanced capacity to meet the demand for accessible and affordable healthcare.
According to the Cabinet, the new initiative will significantly boost undergraduate medical capacity, increase the availability of specialist doctors, and enable the introduction of new specialties across government medical institutions. This is expected to improve access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved areas, while ensuring balanced regional distribution of healthcare resources in a cost-effective manner by leveraging existing infrastructure.
The scheme also aims to expand opportunities for students to pursue medical education in India, enhance the quality of medical training to meet global standards, and increase the availability of doctors and specialists, positioning India as a prime destination for affordable healthcare and promoting foreign exchange.
Furthermore, the initiative is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers, administrators, and support services. It will strengthen the health system’s resilience, contribute to socio-economic development, and promote equitable distribution of healthcare infrastructure across States and Union Territories.
With IANS inputs