Several MBBS Seats Vacant Nationwide, Confirms Union Minister Anupriya Patel

Quick Summary

• Union Minister of State for Health and Family welfare, Anupriya Patel, disclosed in the Lok Sabha that a notable number of MBBS seats remained vacant in recent academic years.
• Data revealed unfilled seats as follows: 2,012 (2021-22), 4,146 (2022-23), 2,959 (2023-24), and 2,849 projected for 2024-25. Numbers exclude AIIMS and JIPMER institutions.
• Over five years, MBBS seat availability increased by 39%, rising from 83,275 in 2020-21 to 1,15,900 in 2024-25.
• Persistent concerns cited include access to education and affordability despite infrastructure expansion efforts.
• The ‘Minimum Standard Requirements-2023’ introduced norms like a mandatory hospital-to-student ratio and rural/urban clinical training for medical institutions.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY):

– Approval given for establishing 157 new medical colleges; out of these:
– 131 are operational, with infrastructure improvements ongoing under additional super-specialty projects.
– Of the planned AIIMS expansions:
– **19 out of a targeted total of 22 now offering MBBS or other select roles fully operational etc##Read