Cabinet approves expansion of PG, UG medical education capacity

New Delhi, Sep 24: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Phase III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for upgrading state and central government medical colleges, standalone PG institutes and government hospitals.

The initiative will add 5,000 postgraduate (PG) seats and extend support for upgrading medical colleges to create 5,023 MBBS seats, with an enhanced cost ceiling of ₹1.5 crore per seat.

The move aims to expand undergraduate and postgraduate medical education capacity, ensure the availability of specialist doctors, and enable the introduction of new specialties across government institutions.

According to the Cabinet, this will significantly strengthen India’s healthcare workforce and improve access to quality services, particularly in underserved areas.

The schemes will entail a financial outlay of ₹15,034.5 crore between 2025-26 and 2028-29, of which the Centre will bear ₹10,303.2 crore and states ₹4,731.3 crore.

By 2028-29, the government targets adding 5,000 PG seats and 5,023 MBBS seats in government institutions. Detailed implementation guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

India currently has 808 medical colleges, the highest in the world, with a total intake of 1,23,700 MBBS seats. Over the past decade, MBBS capacity has grown by 127% and PG seats by 143%. Despite this expansion, gaps remain in several regions, especially in rural and underserved areas. The Cabinet noted that the new measures build on ongoing efforts such as the establishment of 22 new AIIMS under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and new faculty recruitment regulations, underscoring the government’s commitment to expand the pool of trained health professionals and achieve universal health coverage for India’s 1.4 billion people.

Key benefits

• More opportunities for students to pursue medical education in India.
• A steady supply of specialist doctors to meet critical healthcare needs.
• Improved access to quality healthcare in rural and remote regions.
• Creation of direct and indirect employment for doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers and administrators.
• Strengthening of India’s health system resilience and contribution to socio-economic development.