In a much-needed move to address shortage of health specialists particularly in rural India, the Government has approved over 4,000 PG seats in various medical colleges and hospitals for the academic session 2017-18.
Terming it an “all time record number”, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Thursday said that with this addition, the total number of Post Graduate (PG) seats available in the country will go up to 35,117.
“This will further boost our resolve to strengthen tertiary care and improve the medical education in the country,” he said while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nadda said the Government has also decided to amend the teacher-student ratio in clinical subjects in Government medical colleges with an aim to increase PG seats.
“looking at the need to increase PG seats in clinical subjects, the Government had decided to amend the teacher-student ratio in clinical subjects in Government medical colleges. This change alone has resulted in the creation of 1,137 extra seats in 71 medical colleges,” the Union Minister said.
To create additional PG seats, the Medical Council of India has relaxed teacher-
student ratio at the PG level. Previously, one professor could guide two PG students. Now, he can guide three. An
associate professor heading a unit could guide one PG student previously and can now guide two.
Many Government colleges are sending their proposals and it is expected that at least 1,000 more seats can be added during the month of March 2017.
Diplomate of National Board (DNB) seats, which are awarded by National Board of Examinations (NBE), an autonomous academic body under the Health Ministry and are equivalent to MD/MS, have increased by 2,147 in the last one year while 2,046 seats are in medical colleges.
Thus there has been a total addition of 4,193 PG seats in the country so far, and a further addition of more than 1,000 seats is likely during March 2017.
The budget announcement of adding 5,000 PG medical seats in the country is thus likely to be achieved soon, Nadda added.
The PG seat increase has been recommended to improve the doctor-patient ratio across States and bring it at par Iwith the World
Health Organisation recommended 1:1000. India has only |one doctor for every 1,700 people.