Medical Colleges has increased by 67 percent in the last eight years: MoS Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar has said that the number of Medical Colleges in the country has increased by 67 percent in the last eight years. The number of colleges which was 387 before 2014 has gone up to 648 as of now.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Dr. Pawar said that MBBS seats have also gone up from 51 thousand 348 before 2014 to 96 thousand 77 as of now, registering a growth of 87 percent. While the PG seats increased by 105 percent from 31 thousand 185 before 2014 to 64 thousand 59 as of now, she added.

The Minister further informed the government is implementing the Central Sector Scheme for the establishment of a new medical college by upgrading the district and referral hospital and under it 94 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved.

She also informed the House that under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved and Undergraduate courses have started in 19 of them.