New Delhi: NMC Approves Additional Postgraduate Seats

Approval of New Seats

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sanctioned 777 new postgraduate seats across 125 medical colleges. However, the commission has rejected appeals from 76 colleges and has returned 12 cases to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) for further examination. This announcement was made in the Rajya Sabha by Anupriya Patel, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.

Reasons for Disapproval

Minister Patel disclosed that MARB has issued a total of 162 Letters of Disapproval (LoDs), citing issues such as incomplete documentation, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient clinical material (patients), and faculty attendance discrepancies recorded through the AEBAS system. Following these disapproval letters, 215 medical colleges submitted initial appeals to the NMC as per Section 28(5) of the NMC Act, 2019. Out of these, 213 appeals were reviewed by the Appellate Committee.

Outcome of Appeals

As a result of this review process, 125 colleges received approval for a total of 777 additional seats, while 76 colleges faced rejections. Additionally, the appeals of 12 colleges were referred back to MARB for further assessment.

Response to Parliamentary Inquiries

Details on PG Medical Seats

Minister Patel responded to inquiries from parliament member Dr. M Thambidurai regarding the number of postgraduate medical seats for the academic year 2025-26. Dr. Thambidurai requested detailed information on the Letters of Permission (LoP) and Letters of Disapproval (LoD), including the breakdown of these letters by state and college, the grounds for disapproval, and the outcomes of the appeals.

Overall Increase in PG Medical Seats

In her response, Patel confirmed that the NMC has added a total of 8,416 additional postgraduate medical seats for the academic year 2025-26. Karnataka topped the list with 1,328 new seats, which includes 426 in government medical colleges and 902 in private institutions. Uttar Pradesh followed with 1,034 new seats, comprising 316 in government colleges and 718 in private colleges.

State-wise Distribution of Additional Seats

Summary of Allocations

The state-wise distribution of newly allotted seats for the academic year 2025-26 is as follows:

1. Andaman & Nicobar: 13 (Government: 13, Private: 0)
2. Andhra Pradesh: 482 (Government: 156, Private: 326)
3. Arunachal Pradesh: 23 (Government: 23, Private: 0)
4. Assam: 41 (Government: 41, Private: 0)
5. Bihar: 233 (Government: 49, Private: 184)
6. Chandigarh: 0 (Government: 0, Private: 0)
7. Chhattisgarh: 139 (Government: 65, Private: 74)
8. Dadar & Nagar Haveli: 20 (Government: 20, Private: 0)
9. Delhi: 47 (Government: 47, Private: 0)
10. Goa: 0 (Government: 0, Private: 0)
11. Gujarat: 651 (Government: 368, Private: 283)
12. Haryana: 213 (Government: 11, Private: 202)
13. Himachal Pradesh: 36 (Government: 36, Private: 0)
14. Jammu and Kashmir: 120 (Government: 120, Private: 0)
15. Jharkhand: 16 (Government: 16, Private: 0)
16. Karnataka: 1,328 (Government: 426, Private: 902)
17. Kerala: 154 (Government: 82, Private: 72)
18. Madhya Pradesh: 509 (Government: 115, Private: 394)
19. Maharashtra: 653 (Government: 187, Private: 466)
20. Manipur: 10 (Government: 2, Private: 8)
21. Meghalaya: 0 (Government: 0, Private: 0)
22. Mizoram: 10 (Government: 10, Private: 0)
23. Odisha: 226 (Government: 62, Private: 164)
24. Puducherry: 78 (Government: 17, Private: 61)
25. Punjab: 115 (Government: 57, Private: 58)
26. Rajasthan: 440 (Government: 127, Private: 313)
27. Tamil Nadu: 905 (Government: 79, Private: 826)
28. Telangana: 531 (Government: 102, Private: 429)
29. Tripura: 16 (Government: 6, Private: 10)
30. Uttar Pradesh: 1,034 (Government: 316, Private: 718)
31. Uttarakhand: 149 (Government: 69, Private: 80)
32. West Bengal: 224 (Government: 42, Private: 182)

Future Plans and Transparency Measures

The Minister noted that NMC is currently inviting online applications for the addition or increase of both undergraduate and postgraduate seats nationwide. Letters of Permission (LoP) and Letters of Disapproval (LoD) are issued following established protocols in accordance with the PGMSR, 2023 and other relevant NMC regulations. The commission has emphasized the importance of transparency and timely approvals in its processes.