In a decisive boost to India’s healthcare and medical education capacity, the Union Cabinet recently approved the third phase of the Medical Seat Expansion Scheme. 

The move will add 5,023 MBBS seats and 5,000 postgraduate (PG) seats in government medical colleges over the next three years, at a cost of ₹15,034 crore.

The expansion marks a critical step in the government’s plan to create 75,000 new medical seats by 2030, as announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the 2025-26 Union Budget.

Building healthcare capacity

Officials said the new seats will not only address the acute shortage of doctors and specialists but also improve access to affordable care in underserved regions. 

The initiative is designed to ensure optimal use of existing infrastructure, promote regional balance, and expand postgraduate training opportunities—seen as vital to strengthening India’s public health system.

Track record of expansion

The latest approval follows two earlier phases of the scheme. In Phase 1, the Centre funded 4,977 MBBS seats in 83 colleges with ₹5,972 crore and 4,058 PG seats in 72 colleges at a cost of ₹1,498 crore. Phase 2 added 4,000 MBBS seats across 65 colleges with an allocation of ₹4,478 crore.

India’s medical education capacity has surged in the past decade. MBBS seats have more than doubled from 51,328 in 2014 to nearly 1.2 lakh today, while PG seats have climbed from 31,185 to 74,306.

This rise has been driven by intense demand, with over 20 lakh students appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) every year.

Beyond seat creation

The government is also expanding access by setting up new colleges alongside district hospitals, increasing capacity in existing institutions, and rolling out new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

Officials noted that these measures could reduce India’s dependence on foreign medical education, especially after disruptions in countries like China, Ukraine, and the Philippines pushed many students back home.

A step toward self-reliance

The third phase of expansion is being hailed as a transformative moment in India’s push for medical self-reliance. By increasing affordable seats in government institutions, the Centre hopes to expand opportunities for aspiring doctors while simultaneously strengthening healthcare delivery for millions of citizens.