Doctor-population ratio now at 1:811, says Health Ministry in Parliament
New Delhi: In a significant push to expand India’s healthcare education infrastructure, the Union Government has more than doubled the number of medical colleges and significantly increased MBBS and postgraduate (PG) medical seats over the past decade. According to data shared in Parliament, the number of medical colleges has risen from 387 in 2014 to 780 in 2024, with undergraduate (MBBS) seats jumping from 51,348 to 1,15,900 and PG seats from 31,185 to 74,306.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare shared these updated figures in response to a query in the Lok Sabha, citing data from the National Medical Commission (NMC). Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, confirmed the development in a written reply.
She noted, “The government has increased the number of medical colleges, undergraduate and postgraduate seats significantly since 2014. This reflects our commitment to strengthening healthcare access and education across India.”
As per the latest data, India currently has 13.86 lakh registered allopathic doctors and 7.51 lakh AYUSH practitioners. Assuming 80% availability among these, the estimated doctor-to-population ratio now stands at approximately 1:811 — a notable improvement in recent years.
Government Initiatives to Bridge Regional Disparities
To ensure equitable access to medical education and healthcare across regions, especially in underserved and aspirational districts, the government has undertaken several targeted schemes:
- New Medical Colleges under CSS: 131 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), which upgrades district/referral hospitals.
- Strengthening Existing Colleges: Another CSS focuses on upgrading existing State and Central Government medical colleges to increase both MBBS and PG seats.
- Super Specialty Projects under PMSSY: Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), 75 projects aimed at super-specialty care have been sanctioned, with 71 now complete.
- Expansion of AIIMS Network: Out of 22 approved All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), undergraduate courses have begun in 19 institutions.
NEET 2025: 1.15 Lakh MBBS Seats Up for Grabs
Meanwhile, as per the tentative list released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for NEET 2025 counselling, a total of 775 medical colleges across 35 states and union territories will participate in this year’s undergraduate admission process. The seat matrix provided by NMC indicates that 1,15,900 MBBS seats will be available for allotment under various quotas, including All India Quota (AIQ), State Quota, Central Universities, Deemed Universities, and premier institutes like AIIMS and JIPMER.
The 2023 regulations (MSR-2023) governing undergraduate medical education also mandate minimum infrastructure and faculty standards for institutions based on student intake, ensuring quality education is maintained across the board.
