MBBS seats double, PG seats nearly triple in Uttar Pradesh over the last 7.5 years

Lucknow : In 2017, when Yogi Adityanath assumed office as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh—a state once labeled as ‘BIMARU’—he made a bold pledge to establish one medical college in each district, aiming to transform the state’s healthcare landscape. Today, after seven and a half years of relentless efforts, that vision is steadily becoming a reality.

Prior to 2017, many students from Uttar Pradesh were compelled to seek medical education in other states, or even abroad, due to a shortage of local institutions. However, the scenario has dramatically changed. Now, aspiring doctors can pursue their medical degrees within the state, a development that has significantly reduced the outflow of students and improved the overall availability of medical professionals.

Under CM Yogi’s leadership, the number of medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh has doubled from 39 in 2017 to 78 today. This expansion has also led to a 108 percent increase in MBBS seats and a remarkable 181 percent rise in PG seats over the same period. These advancements have not only addressed the state’s doctor shortage but have also resulted in substantial improvements in healthcare services across Uttar Pradesh.

Kinjal Singh, the Director General of Medical Education and Training in Uttar Pradesh, highlighted the significant progress made under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s ‘One District, One Medical College’ initiative.

In 2016-2017, Uttar Pradesh had a total of 39 medical colleges—14 government-run and 25 private. However, thanks to the Yogi government’s dedicated efforts, this number has doubled over the past seven and a half years, with 78 medical colleges now operational. Of these, 43 are government colleges, and 35 are private.

This expansion has also led to a dramatic increase in both MBBS and postgraduate (PG) seats. In 2016-2017, the state had 5,390 MBBS seats, with 1,840 in government institutions and 3,550 in private colleges. By the 2024-25 academic year, the total number of MBBS seats has risen to 11,200, including 5,150 government and 6,050 private seats.

Similarly, the number of PG seats has seen significant growth. In 2016-17, there were 1,344 PG seats, comprising 741 government and 603 private seats. As of 2024-25, this number has increased to 3,781, with 1,759 government and 2,022 private seats.

DGME Kinjal Singh further provided an update on the ongoing developments in the state’s medical education sector for the current 2024-25 session. She mentioned that counseling under the All India Quota is currently in progress for 15 percent of the seats in 12 newly established autonomous state medical colleges across Bijnor, Kushinagar, Sultanpur, Gonda, Lalitpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Chandauli, Bulandshahr, Pilibhit, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, and Kaushambi. Meanwhile, 85 percent of the seats have already been filled through the state-level UG NEET first cycle counseling.

In addition, a second appeal is being planned to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare for the recognition of the medical college in Sonbhadra. The construction of the autonomous state medical college in Amethi is progressing, with 34 percent of the work completed. An application for the approval of 100 seats for the 2025-26 academic year will be submitted once the National Medical Commission (NMC) portal in New Delhi opens.

Further developments include the fast-paced construction of the Kalpanath Rai Institute of Medical Sciences in Mau, being built under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. An application for NMC approval will also be made for this institution in the 2025-26 academic session.

Moreover, a proposal for the establishment of new medical colleges in Baghpat, Hathras, and Kasganj is expected to be placed before the cabinet soon. These colleges will be set up under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme within the PPP framework, further expanding Uttar Pradesh’s medical education infrastructure.