Nearly 10,000 more MBBS seats up for grabs this year

NEW DELHI: National Medical Commission has approved 9,911 additional undergraduate seats, taking the country's total MBBS capacity to a record 1,36,939 for the 2026-27 academic session.The seat matrix released by the regulator also shows 1,27,028 renewed seats apart from the additional ones, approved through new medical colleges and increased intake in existing institutions. The expansion comes at a time when over 22 lakh candidates appear for NEET-UG every year, with the demand for MBBS seats continuing to far exceed availability.Explaining the sharp rise in the number of MBBS seats, Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) president M K Ramesh said the increase was driven by changes introduced under Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023."Earlier, a medical college could apply for an increase in MBBS seats only after its first batch had completed four-and-a-half to five years. Under the 2023 regulations, that restriction has been removed. Colleges can now seek an increase in intake from the second year itself, provided they meet the prescribed norms," Ramesh told TOI.The approved seat matrix, which excludes Institutes of National Importance such as AIIMS and JIPMER, covers 823 medical colleges across the country, including 441 govt and 382 private institutions, and will form the basis for this year's counselling. NMC said the matrix could be revised if required following decisions of the Appeal Committee or any other competent authority.With MBBS seats touching a record high, India is expected to expand its medical workforce. The Centre estimates the country's doctor-population ratio at 1:811, compared with the widely cited benchmark of one doctor per 1,000 population.But NMC also warned medical colleges against admitting students beyond the sanctioned intake, saying any violation would attract regulatory and penal action under NMC Act, 2019. Colleges have been asked to verify their approved seat matrix before counselling begins and report any discrepancies to MARB.Of the 9,911 additional MBBS seats, 2,400 are in 25 newly established medical colleges (seven govt and 18 private), while the remaining 7,511 have come from enhanced intake in existing colleges. Private institutions accounted for nearly 79% of the additional seats approved this year.