2,849 MBBS seats remained vacant in 2024 despite increase in slots: Govt data

Over the last four years, India has seen a 39 per cent increase in the number of MBBS seats. However, despite this, thousands of seats remain vacant every year, the Union government informed the Parliament on Friday (August 1).

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From 83,275 in 2020-21, MBBS seats in the country rose to 1,15,900 in 2024-25. In 2022-23, the unfilled MBBS seats were the highest, at 4,146 (excluding AIIMS and JIPMER). In 2021-22, 2,012 seats were vacant, and in 2023-24, the numbers were 2,959.

UP has highest MBBS seats

However, the numbers came down to 2,849 in 2024-25, Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said in the Lok Sabha.

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She answered an unstarred question asked by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Putta Mahesh Kumar.

The Minister also shared the data on MBBS seats in various states. Uttar Pradesh (12,325), Tamil Nadu (12,000), Karnataka (12,194), Maharashtra (11,844), and Gujarat (7,000) are in the top five.

Increase in medical colleges

Earlier, the government informed the Parliament that it has increased the number of Medical Colleges, Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) seats.

There is an increase in medical colleges from 387 to 780; UG seats from 51,348 to 1,15,900 and PG seats from 31,185 to 74,306 from 2014 till date, Minister Patel told the Lok Sabha on July 25.

As per information provided by National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,86,157 registered allopathic doctors.

The Guidelines for Undergraduate Courses, as outlined in the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations 2023 (MSR-2023), specifies the minimum infrastructure and faculty requirements based on student intake, the Minister said.