The Union Health Ministry has given a green light to the commencement of MBBS programmes at five newly established medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh, marking a significant expansion in the state’s medical education landscape. Official sources confirmed the approval, which is part of a broader initiative to enhance healthcare infrastructure and medical training across the region.
In addition to the new colleges, there has been a notable increase in seat capacity at existing institutions. Specifically, the seat count at medical colleges in Kanpur Dehat and Lalitpur has been doubled from 50 to 100. This adjustment reflects the ongoing efforts to address the growing demand for medical education and to bolster healthcare resources in the state.
The expansion will add 600 new MBBS seats, bringing the total number of new seats in Uttar Pradesh to 1,200 for the 2024-25 academic session. This increase is expected to significantly impact the availability of medical professionals in the state, addressing both current shortages and future healthcare needs.
The move follows discussions between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda. These discussions led to a formal appeal from the principals of the medical colleges to the National Medical Commission (NMC). As a result, seven medical colleges received recognition through this initial appeal.
Currently, Uttar Pradesh has a total of 11,200 MBBS seats, distributed between government and private institutions. Of these, 5,150 seats are available in government medical colleges, while the remaining 6,050 are in private colleges. The recent approvals and capacity increases are aimed at balancing this distribution and enhancing the overall quality and accessibility of medical education.
Director General of Medical Education Kinjal Singh detailed that a recent appeal was submitted to the Union Health Ministry requesting the approval of 100 MBBS seats each at autonomous state medical colleges in Auraiya, Chandauli, Gonda, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Kaushambi. The ministry has granted this request, along with the earlier capacity increase for Kanpur Dehat and Lalitpur, resulting in a total addition of 600 MBBS seats across these institutions.
This expansion is expected to have a significant positive impact on the medical education sector in Uttar Pradesh, providing more opportunities for aspiring medical students and contributing to the development of a robust healthcare workforce. The increased number of seats will help meet the growing healthcare demands and improve the quality of medical training in the state.
The Union Health Ministry’s decision is a substantial step towards addressing the medical education needs of Uttar Pradesh and ensuring that more students have the opportunity to pursue careers in medicine. As the new academic session approaches, the focus will be on implementing these changes effectively and supporting the growth of medical education infrastructure in the state.