Bengaluru – Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanaprakash Patil on Wednesday called on the National Medical Council (NMC) to significantly increase MBBS seats across the country, citing a growing mismatch between the number of NEET aspirants and available undergraduate seats.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College & Research Institute, Dr Patil highlighted that over five lakh students appear for NEET annually, while only one lakh MBBS seats are available. “This disparity needs immediate attention,” he said, adding that Indian doctors are trained not just for the country but for global healthcare needs.
Addressing NMC Chairperson Dr B N Gangadhara, who was present at the event, the minister revealed that Karnataka has already submitted a formal proposal to the NMC seeking an additional 800 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate seats starting this academic year.
Medical College in Every District
Dr Patil reiterated Karnataka’s commitment to expanding medical education and healthcare infrastructure, stating that the state government aims to establish a medical college in every district. Each institution will be paired with a hospital and include cancer care units, trauma centres, and super-speciality services.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved the proposal, ensuring that students from economically weaker sections will be able to pursue medical education at government expense.
Global Demand for Indian Doctors
NMC Chairperson Dr Gangadhara acknowledged the acute global shortage of doctors, estimated at over three crore, and praised the strong academic foundations of Indian medical professionals. “One of NMC’s top priorities is to produce globally recognised doctors who are academically sound and linguistically proficient,” he said.
