82% rise in number of medical colleges from 387 (2014) to 706 (2023)

The government has increased number of medical colleges and subsequently increased MBBS seats. There is an increase of 82% in Medical Colleges from 387 before 2014 to 706 as of now. Further, there is an increase of 112% in MBBS seats from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,08,940 as of now and PG seats have been increased to 127% from 31,185 before 2014 to 70,674 as of now.

The Government has taken various steps to further increase the availability of doctors in the country which include:

1. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 108 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved.
2. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
3. Under “Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks” of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which 64 projects are complete.
4. Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved. Undergraduate courses have started in 19 of these.
5. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure.
6. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty.
7. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re-employment against posts of teachers/Dean/Principal/ Director in medical colleges upto 70 years.

The Government has also taken the following steps to increase the Nurses in the country:

1. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for “Establishment of new Medical College attached with existing district/referral hospital” 157 medical colleges have been approved since 2014. Establishment of 157 nursing colleges have been announced in the budget speech 2023-24 in these medical colleges.
2. For Nursing Educational Programmes, Student patient ratio has been relaxed from 1:5 to 1:3.
3. The land requirement for Nursing Educational Institutes from 3 acres has been relaxed to construct building of 54,000 sq. ft. for School/College of Nursing including Hostel.
4. To open GNM and B.Sc. (Nursing) programme 100 bedded parent hospital is essential since 2013-2014. However, this is relaxed for hilly and tribal areas.
5. Relaxed norms for teaching faculty to start B.Sc. (N) Programme.
6. Maximum of 100 seats will be granted to the institutions for B.Sc.(N)/GNM programmes which have a parent hospital with 300 beds without insisting on Medical College.
7. Distance from school to hospital has been relaxed.
8. Eligibility Criteria for admission to nursing programmes relaxed.

As informed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,08,009 allopathic doctors registered with the State Medical Councils and the National Medical Commission (NMC) as on June, 2022. Assuming 80% availability of registered allopathic doctors and 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors, the doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:834. Also, there are 36.14 lakh nursing personnel in the country as on December, 2022. Assuming 80% availability of nursing personnel, the nurse- population ratio is 1:476.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

Annexure-I

STATE/ UT-WISE LIST OF DOCTORS POSSESSING RECOGNISED MEDICAL QUALIFICATIONS  AND REGISTERED WITH STATE MEDICAL COUNCILS / THE ERSTWHILE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF  INDIA/ NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION AS ON JUNE, 2022

Source: The National Medical Commission

Note:- Erstwhile MCI had stopped the registration since 2015.

Annexure-II

State/UT wise number of trained nurses as on 31.12.2022

Source: Respective State Nurses Registration Council

ANM: Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, RN & RM: Registered Nurses & Registered Midwives.

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MV

HFW/ PQ /Update on Demand Of Doctors And Nurses In Foreign Country /12December2023/1