The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has approved the Phase-Ill of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for strengthening and upgradation of existing State Government/ Central Government Medical Colleges/ Standalone PG Institutes/ Government Hospitals for increasing 5,000 PG seats and extension of the CSS for upgradation of existing government medical colleges for increasing 5,023 MBBS seats with an enhanced cost ceiling of Rs. 1.50 crore per seat. This initiative will significantly: augment the undergraduate medical capacity; availability of specialist doctors by creating additional postgraduate seats; and enable introduction of new specialties across Government medical institutions. This will strengthen the overall availability of doctors in the country.
The total financial implications of these two schemes is Rs.15,034.50 crore for a period from 2025-26 to 2028-29. Out of Rs.15034.50 crore, the central share is Rs.10,303.20 crore and the state share is Rs.4731.30 crore.
Benefits:
Schemes for augmenting medical seats in government medical colleges/institutions across State/UTs will help augment the availability of doctors and specialists in the country, thereby improving access to quality healthcare, especially in underserved areas. It will also leverage existing infrastructure for cost-effective expansion of tertiary healthcare in the Government institutions as expansion of postgraduate seats ensures a steady supply of specialists in critical disciplines. These schemes aim to promote balanced regional distribution of healthcare resources, while being cost-effective by leveraging existing infrastructure. In the long run, they strengthen the country’s health systems to meet existing and emerging health needs.
Impact, including employment generation:
The major output/outcome expected from the schemes are:
- Providing more opportunities to the students to pursue medical education in India.
- Enhancing the quality of medical education and training to meet global standards.
- Adequate availability of doctors and specialists can position India as a prime destination for providing affordable healthcare and thus boosting foreign exchange.
- Bridging the gap in healthcare accessibility, particularly in underserved rural and remote areas.
- Generating of direct and indirect employment opportunities in terms of doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers, administrators and support services.
- Strengthening the health system’s resilience and contributing to overall socio- economic development.
- Promoting equitable distribution of healthcare infrastructure across States/UTs.
Implementation strategy and targets:
The target of these schemes is to increase 5000 PG seats and 5023 UG seats in government institutions by 2028-2029. Detailed guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) for implementation of the schemes.
The NewsBit Bureau