New Delhi: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 187 additional postgraduate (PG) medical seats for the academic year 2025–26 following decisions by the First Appeal Committee, overturning earlier MARB determinations.
In a public notice dated December 20, 2025, MARB President Dr M K Ramesh stated that medical colleges had filed appeals under Section 28(5) of the NMC Act, 2019. After examination, the First Appeal Committee granted additional seats, and the list has been uploaded for all stakeholders. Importantly, counselling authorities have been advised not to wait for Letters of Permission (LOPs); the uploaded list itself is to be treated as a valid document for counselling.
Reiterating this position, NMC Secretary Raghav Langer wrote to heads of medical institutions on December 22, 2025, directing all concerned to take note and proceed accordingly.
Specialty-wise distribution
Of the 187 additional seats, key allocations include:
- MD Anaesthesiology: 34
- MD Pediatrics: 29
- MD General Medicine: 22
- MS Obstetrics & Gynaecology: 17
- MS Ophthalmology: 17
- MD Microbiology: 14
- MD Pathology: 11
- MS General Surgery: 9
- MD Radio Diagnosis: 7
- MD Forensic Medicine: 7
- M.Ch Plastic Surgery: 3
- MD Community Medicine: 3
- MD Psychiatry: 2
- MD Respiratory Medicine: 2
- MD Skin VD: 1
- MD Emergency Medicine: 1
- MS Orthopaedics: 4
- MS ENT: 4
Following the appeal outcomes, the total PG seats now stand at 589 across the affected institutions.
Colleges with maximum gains
Among institutions, Shri M.P. Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar received the highest number of additional seats, including 9 seats in MD General Medicine, along with increases across Anaesthesiology, Community Medicine, Microbiology, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dermatology, and Radio Diagnosis.
Post Graduate Studies and Research, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, also saw significant gains, with 7 seats each in MS Ophthalmology and MD Microbiology, along with additions in Emergency Medicine, Pathology, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
Several GMERS Medical Colleges in Gujarat, along with government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry, were granted additional seats across multiple specialties.
Counselling impact
The NMC clarified that counselling bodies can immediately include these seats in the ongoing counselling process, ensuring that eligible candidates are not disadvantaged due to procedural delays in issuing LOPs.
This expansion is expected to boost PG training capacity nationwide, address specialty-wise shortages, and improve access to advanced medical education for aspirants in the 2025–26 academic cycle.
