In a move that would result into better health resources in the country, the Medical Council of India's Board of Governors has approved increasing post graduate medical seats for MD and MS programmes by more than 4,800 to 36,192 for the next academic session, a top official said on Monday.
BoG Chairman and Niti Aayog member VK Paul said the increase is more than the total number of additional seats created in the past five years.
“So, as a result, in the new academic session counselling, 36,192 PG medical seats (MD/MS, broad speciality) will be available,” Paul said.
Paul also said the capacity expansion would improve tertiary care in the country.
“In 2020-21 academic session, approximately 44,000 post graduate medical seats (36,192 MD/MS seats and 8,000 DNB/FNB seats) will be available for 54,000 undergraduate MBBS pass outs,” he said.
MS is the post graduate degree in general surgery, while MD is the post graduate degree in general medicine.
Continuing the focus on creation of healthcare infrastructure, the government had earlier approved establishment of 58 medical colleges to be attached with existing district and referral hospitals under phase I of the scheme and 24 institutes under the second phase.
Of the 58 medical colleges approved under the first phase of the scheme, 39 have already started functioning and the rest would be made operational by 2020-2021.