DTMT Network

The ongoing reforms may result in one lakh MBBS and 65,000 PG seats by 2022, expects the Union ministry of health and family welfare as per media reports.

There were 562 medical colleges in India in 2020, an addition of 181 colleges in the past six years (2014-20).

In the same period, while the number of MBBS seats increased by 30,301, PG seats increased by 25,402.

Approvals have already been issued to open 157 new medical colleges under the centrally sponsored scheme of opening a new medical college attached to each district hospital. Of these, 47 are already functional. In the next two years, 110 more medical colleges are expected to be functional, the reports added.

Additionally, 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Science (AllMS) have been sanctioned, of which MBBS classes have already started in 18.

The current doctor-population ratio stands at 1:825, and in India there are currently around 10.05 lakh allopathic and 6.30 lakh Ayush doctors.

Effective implementation of competence-based curriculum in all the medical colleges, along with focus on skill-based teaching will be ensured by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

With the view to make medical education affordable, the NMC is empowered to regulate fees and all other charges in 50 per cent of the seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities. Guidelines are framed by NMC in this regard.

The government expects these reforms in medical education to have a long term impact on primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in India.