Medical Education: 75 percent increase in UG seats in the country in seven years, 93 percent increase in PG courses

In the last seven years, many revolutionary changes have taken place in the medical education sector in the country. According to government data, since 2014, the number of seats for UG medical courses in the country has increased by about 75 percent, while that of PG courses has increased by 93 percent. This is an achievement.

Recently, in response to a written question from the Central Government, it was told in the Rajya Sabha that the number of undergraduate medical seats was 51,348 before 2014, which has now increased to 89,875. While the number of UG seats has increased by 75 percent, and the number of postgraduate seats has increased by 93 percent during the same period. The number of post-graduate seats was 31,185 before 2014, which has now increased to 60,202.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had also informed that Indian students who go abroad to pursue MBBS and obtain foreign medical qualifications, have to qualify for the FMGE i.e. Foreign Medical Graduate Exam to register as a doctor in India.

157 new medical colleges approved

The minister said that the government has taken several steps to further increase the availability of doctors in the country. Mandaviya said that steps have been taken to establish new medical colleges by upgrading district/referral hospitals to increase the number of seats.

Under the scheme of the Central Government, 157 new medical colleges have been sanctioned and 71 are already functional. These also include a Central Sector Scheme for the Consolidation or Advancement of existing State Government or Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats and a Central Sector Scheme for the Advancement of Government Medical Colleges by the creation of Super Specialty Blocks.

75 projects approved, 55 completed

Mandaviya had said that a total of 75 projects have been approved and 55 have been completed. Under the schemes of the Central Government, 22 AIIMS have been approved for setting up new AIIMS. Undergraduate courses have already started in 19 of them. Also, for the rapid increase in the number of allied medical seats in the country, the government has enacted the National Commission for Allied and Health Care Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.

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