India’s government took a big step Wednesday to boost the number of doctors available across the country. The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greenlit a new plan to add 5,000 postgraduate (PG) seats and 5,023 undergraduate MBBS seats. The total cost? A hefty Rs 15,034.50 crore over four years.
This is Phase III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, focused on upgrading state and central government medical colleges, standalone PG institutes, and public hospitals. Officials bumped up the funding limit to Rs 1.50 crore per seat to make it happen faster.
The money breaks down like this: The central government covers Rs 10,303.20 crore, while states chip in Rs 4,731.30 crore. The project runs from 2025-26 to 2028-29.
PM Modi first floated the idea during his 2024 Independence Day speech, promising 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years. It’s all part of a push to grow India’s healthcare infrastructure and make quality care more reachable.
Right now, India boasts 808 medical colleges—the most anywhere in the world—with room for 123,700 MBBS students each year. Over the past decade, the country has added 69,352 MBBS seats, a whopping 127% jump. PG seats? They’ve grown by 43,041, or 143%.
Still, some areas lag behind, where demand for doctors outstrips supply. This new push for more MBBS seats and PG seats aims to fix that, especially in underserved spots. It will ramp up undergraduate training, bring in more specialist doctors, and even launch fresh medical specialties in government institutions.
By tapping into existing setups, the plan keeps costs down and spreads healthcare resources more evenly across regions. Students will get better chances to study medicine at home, and the training will match global standards. In the end, more doctors and specialists could turn India into a go-to hub for affordable healthcare, even earning foreign exchange.
On top of that, expect jobs to pop up for doctors, teachers, nurses, researchers, admins, and support staff. It will toughen up the health system, spark economic growth, and ensure fairer access to medical facilities in every state and union territory.
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