The government informed Parliament on Tuesday that the number of medical colleges in the nation has increased by 69% from 387 in 2014 to 654 as of today. Bharati Pravin Pawar, the Minister of State for Health, stated in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha that there has also been a 94% increase in the number of MBBS seats, from 51,348 to 99,763, and a 107% increase in the number of postgraduate (PG) seats, from 31,185 prior to 2014 to 64,559 as of now.
According to her, the government has increased the number of medical colleges and MBBS seats in order to boost the number of doctors in the nation. According to Pawar, 94 of the 157 new medical colleges approved by the government are already operational. Other measures taken to increase the number of medical seats in the nation include a centrally-sponsored program for the establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading the district and referral hospitals.
The number of MBBS and PG seats has been increased through the implementation of a centrally supported scheme for strengthening or improving the current medical institutions operated by the state or the central government, according to the minister. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) has sanctioned a total of 75 projects, 60 of which are now finished, for the "upgrading of government medical institutions by the building of super specialty blocks," the spokesperson said.
According to Pawar, 22 such facilities have been sanctioned under the central sector program to establish new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and undergraduate courses have begun in 19 of those. According to her, the requirements for faculty, staff, bed strength, and other infrastructure have been relaxed for the establishment of medical colleges.
