Union Cabinet Approves Recommendation to increase 10,000 MBBS seats Thursday Jan 09,2014

The Union Cabinet on Thursday Jan 09,2014 approved recommendations for increasing MBBS seats by 10,000 in recognised government medical colleges in the country.

Presently there are around 50,000 MBBS seats across the country and the government is keen to increase them to address the issue of shortage of doctors

Presently there are a total of 381 medical colleges in the country with 49,918 MBBS seats registered with the apex medical regulator - the Medical Council of India. 

The current doctor-patient ratio is 1:2000 to 1:1000.

The central assistance share under the proposal will be to the tune of Rs 8,457.40 crore and the state/ UTs share will be of Rs 2,513.70 crore

A Health Ministry proposal to set up 58 new medical colleges in states with central assistance and upgradation of district hospitals had earlier been approved by the government, thus helping create 5,800 more MBBS seats

The establishment of 58 new medical colleges by upgradation of existing district hospitals in deficient states will help increase the intake capacity by 100 MBBS seats in each medical college

Under the scheme, while funding pattern of states will be 75:25 under the scheme, it will be 90:10 by central and state governments respectively for northeastern states and special category States.