Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha budget session, the union government highlighted the intensified efforts taken over the past decade to expand medical education infrastructure and improve affordability across the country.
Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav on Friday, informed the Lok Sabha about implementation of centrally sponsored schemes to establish new medical colleges attached to existing district and referral hospitals. So far, 157 medical colleges have been approved under the scheme.
In addition, financial support has been extended to upgrade existing state and central government medical colleges to boost undergraduate and postgraduate capacity. As a result, 4,977 additional MBBS seats and 8,058 postgraduate seats have been approved nationwide.
According to the National Medical Commission, the total number of medical colleges has risen from 387 in 2013–14 to 818 at present. MBBS seats have increased to 1,28,976, while PG seats now stand at 85,020.
The government said subsidised fees in government colleges and reservations for economically weaker sections are helping make medical education more accessible.
