MBBS seats rise to 1.29 lakh and PG seats to 86,360 between AY 2023–24 and AY 2025–26
Increase in medical training seats and projected doctor availability (AY 2023–24 to AY 2025–26)
- The parliamentary reply used NMC-based numbers to show an increase in MBBS seats from AY 2023–24 to AY 2025–26.
- The parliamentary reply used NMC-based numbers to show an increase in PG seats from AY 2023–24 to AY 2025–26.
- The parliamentary reply estimated doctor–population ratio using Indian Medical Register (IMR) registered totals and an 80% availability assumption for registered practitioners in allopathic and AYUSH systems.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) informed Parliament that MBBS and postgraduate medical seats increased between academic years (AY) 2023–24 and 2025–26. The government also used Indian Medical Register (IMR) figures to estimate national doctor availability, applying an 80% availability assumption for registered practitioners in both allopathic and AYUSH systems.
What happened (seat expansion and workforce estimate)
MBBS seats increased from 1,09,115 in AY 2023–24 to 1,28,976 in AY 2025–26. Postgraduate (PG) seats increased from 31,185 in AY 2023–24 to 86,360 in AY 2025–26. Using IMR registered-practitioner totals and an 80% availability assumption, the government estimated a country doctor–population ratio of 1:778.
Seat expansion in MBBS and PG education can be linked to long-run availability of qualified doctors; exam framing can test how workforce planning assumptions (availability rate) affect the doctor–population ratio estimate and what policy trade-offs follow.
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