MBBS & PG Seats Increase for AY 2025-26 - A Biggest Expansion in Indian Medical Education for NEET 2026

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An increase in the number of seats provides relief to students waiting for admission into the MBBS course. A significant transformation in Indian Medical Education is currently happening, marked by a large expansion in infrastructure, capacity, and policy support. In a written response in the Rajya Sabha, Anupriya Patel stated that for the academic year 2025-26, a total of 43 new medical colleges have been established nationwide.

On 11 March, she also provided the information in parliament regarding the approval of an increase of 11682 seats in MBBS, as well as 8967 seats for Postgraduate. The data is also available on the National Medical Commission (NMC) website, i.e. nmc.org.in.

NMC Updates on Indian Medical Education

As mentioned above, a total of 43 new medical colleges have been approved by NMC for establishment across India. The government has approved 11682 MBBS seats and 8967 postgraduate seats across the country for the academic year 2025-26.

For this, NMC invited applications from medical colleges/ institutes across India for the establishment of new medical colleges and for an increase in the medical UG and PG seats. Further, the letter of permission (LoP) or letter of disapproval (LoD) is issued after the following due process of scrutiny and assessment. The minister shared details of the state-wise details of the new medical colleges and newly approved MBBS seats and PG seats for the academic year 2025-26.

Why the Increase in MBBS Seats Matters?

If we see the data, around 20 lakh candidates register for the NEET Exam every year. The increase in MBBS seats in India gives them hope of selection to secure a seat at various medical colleges in India. This is a massive MBBS Seats boost to bring encouragement among the lakhs of NEET aspirants who are preparing for the exam.

This expansion in MBBS Seats across India creates more opportunities for candidates who are dedicated to becoming doctors in their lives. The initiative of the MBBS Seat Increase for 2026 strengthens India’s healthcare system and ensures that more qualified candidates will get a chance at admission into Government medical colleges across the country.

What does this mean for NEET 2026 Aspirants?

As per the NMC Report, around 11682 seats for MBBS and 8967 Seats for Postgraduate have been increased and approved by the NMC. The seat increase includes the AIIMS and INIs for the academic year 2025-26. Students who are preparing for the NEET 2026 now have more chances to get admission.

According to the expert, this increase does not mean that the exam will become easy, but more students will be able to take admission in MBBS courses at good colleges. NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is one of the reputed exams that allows candidates admission into Medical Colleges in India. The exam always demands a strong conceptual understanding, consistent revision, and disciplined preparation. 

The Increase in MBBS and PG Seats means only to enhance the chances of the qualified candidates who are seeking medical education in India rather than seeking admission abroad.

NMC Approved 43 New Medical Colleges in India

An increase in the number of medical colleges in India plays an important role because it will also enhance the chance of an increase in UG and PG seats. This expansion in the Medical College ensures that students from the smaller towns are also able to access a better medical education in their region. With this increase, the regional imbalance in healthcare is also promptly reduced.

We can say that the direct impact of the rise in institutions contributed to the increase in the total MBBS seats in India and helped people to provide them with better healthcare services as they wanted. Many students across India are also seeking to get the answer to how many MBBS seats are available in India today. So you are referring to checking the table below for a better response.

A List of New Approved Medical Colleges in India for AY 2025-26

The government has given approval for 43 new medical colleges across India. The list of New Medical Colleges in India is mentioned in the table below.

Sl. No.StateNew Approved Colleges
1Andhra PradeshAnna Gowri Medical College and Hospital
2AssamESIC Medical College and Hospital, Beltola
3Pragjyotishpur Medical College
4BiharMahabodhi Medical College & Hospital
5Shyamlal Chandrashekhar Medical College & S P N M Hospital
6Viraat Ramayan Institute of Medical Sciences
7DelhiESIC Medical College & Hospital, Basaidarapur, New Delhi
8GujaratESIC Medical College Naroda Bapunagar, Ahmedabad
9Matushri Prabhaben Khodabhai Boghara Medical College & Research Centre
10HaryanaMaharishi Chyawan Medical College, Koriawas
11PT Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College, Bhiwani
12JharkhandNetaji Subhas Medical College And Hospital
13KarnatakaFarookh Academy of Medical Education, Hospital And Research Institute
14KeralaGovernment Medical College, Kasaragod
15Government Medical College, Wayanad
16Kerala Medical College, Mangode
17Madhya PradeshESIC Medical College and Hospital, Indore
18Government Medical College, Sheopur
19Government Medical College Singrauli
20Mansarovar Medical College and MGU Hospital
21MaharashtraDY Patil University, School of Medicine
22ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Andheri
23Mahatma Gandhi Missions Medical College, Panvel
24Malati Multispeciality Hospital And Medical College
25Smt Sakhubai Narayanrao Katkade Medical College and Research Centre
26MeghalayaShillong Medical College
27OrissaGovernment Medical College, Phulbani, Kandhamal
28Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College, Talcher
29PunjabESIC Medical College, Ludhiana
30RajasthanArya Medical College and Hospital
31Balvir Singh Tomar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
32ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur
33Geetanjali Institute of Medical Sciences
34Government Medical College, Jaisalmer
35Government medical college, tonk
36Tamil NaduTakshashila Medical College
37TelanganaGovernment Medical College, Kodangal, Telangana
38Uttar PradeshAutonomous State Medical College, Amethi
39ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Noida
40ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Varanasi
41West BengalJagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital
42PKG Medical College
43Raniganj Institute of Medical Science

State-Wise MBBS Seats Approved in 2025-26 Academic Year

One of the most common questions every candidate wants to know about is how many MBBS seats are available in India. If we see the NMC Data, the total MBBS Seats in India have crossed the 1 lakh mark. The table shows the total government MBBS Seats in India approved for the academic year 2025-26.

Sl. No.StateTotal Govt. Seats Approved
1Andhra Pradesh430
2Assam325
3Bihar550
4Chhattisgarh250
5Delhi50
6Gujarat375
7Haryana525
8Himachal Pradesh50
9Jammu & Kashmir329
10Jharkhand200
11Karnataka1550
12Kerala700
13Madhya Pradesh525
14Maharashtra980
15Meghalaya50
16Odisha300
17Pondicherry43
18Punjab200
19Rajasthan825
20Tamil Nadu1050
21Telangana475
22Tripura50
23Uttar Pradesh950
24Uttarakhand100
25West Bengal800
Grand Total11,682

State-Wise Postgraduate (PG) Seats Approved for 2025-26 Academic Year

In addition to MBBS Seat Expansion, Postgraduate Seats are also expanded this year. As per the government updates, they have increased Government PG Seats by 8967 in the direction of giving an option to the MBBS graduates to the pipeline of specialist doctors.

Sl. No.StateGrand Total
1.Andaman Nicobar Islands13
2.Andhra Pradesh506
3.Arunachal Pradesh23
4.Assam50
5.Bihar238
6.Chhattisgarh139
7.Dadra and Nagar Haveli20
8.Delhi58
9.Goa3
10.Gujarat690
11.Haryana218
12.Himachal Pradesh36
13.Jammu & Kashmir144
14.Jharkhand16
15.Karnataka1391
16.Kerala168
17.Madhya Pradesh524
18.Maharashtra686
19.Manipur12
20.Mizoram10
21.Odisha297
22.Pondicherry78
23.Punjab135
24.Rajasthan479
25.Tamil Nadu951
26.Telangana591
27.Tripura16
28.Uttar Pradesh1089
29.Uttarakhand162
30.West Bengal224
Grand Total8,967

Impact of this expansion on Healthcare and Education

The Increase in MBBS seats reflects a long-term vision to address the shortage of doctors in India. As we have seen, the large gap between the population and the number of available doctors directly affects healthcare demand. When investments are made in medical education, and the number of MBBS and PG seats in India is increased, it marks a significant step towards building a robust and more accessible healthcare system for the future. The following are some of the key impacts of this, of which you should be aware.

  • Improved Doctor-Patient Ratio: This expense may reduce the big gap between the doctor and patient in the future. With more opportunities, more doctors are entering the system and providing health services to patients.
  • Reduce the Dependency on Abroad Education: If the total MBBS Seats in India Increase, it may give more opportunities for the candidates who depend on foreign medical education.
  • Better Rural Healthcare: When the total government MBBS seats in India increase, more doctors become accessible to serve their duties. It will enhance the rural healthcare facilities and reduce the gap between them.

Conclusion

The question arising among students who are preparing for medical education is how many MBBS seats are in India, or how many government MBBS seats are in India, so the answer is the increment in the total MBBS seats in India. According to the recent NMC data, around 11682 MBBS seats have been increased, and this also enhanced the number of total government MBBS Seats from 1,28,976 to 1,29,603, marking a significant 150% increase since 2014.

Apart from this, NMC has also given approval for an increase in the government PG Seats across India to provide better opportunities to MBBS UG students who are preparing for the MD/ MS/ Diploma programs. For the academic year 2025-26, the total number of Postgraduate Medical Seats in India has reached 58331. This number also includes the recent increase of 8967 in the new PG seats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many new seats have been added for NEET 2026?

For NEET 2026, approximately 11,682 MBBS seats have been increased for the 2025-26 academic year. This increase includes seats in both government (approximately 3,198) and private (approximately 8,078) colleges across India.

Will the increase in MBBS seats reduce the competition in NEET 2026?

While the increase in MBBS seats may enhance the chances of selection for admission, the competition in NEET 2026 is expected to remain intense due to the annually rising number of candidates.

What impact will the increase in MBBS seats have on the NEET 2026 cutoff?

Due to the increase in the number of seats, the cutoff scores may see a slight relaxation in the subsequent counselling rounds. However, competition for admission to India’s top MBBS colleges will remain extremely tough.

Has Yoga been included in the MBBS curriculum?

According to the CBME (Competency-Based Medical Education) Guidelines 2024 and the MSR (Minimum Standard Requirements) Regulations 2023, every medical college in India is required to establish a dedicated department and engage students, doctors, and staff members in Yoga-related activities and awareness programs.

How many MBBS colleges are there in India as of 2026?

The NMC has released data regarding the total number of MBBS seats available in India. If we look at the total number of medical colleges in the country, the figure stood at 780 in 2025 and has now risen to 824 in 2026.

What is the NMC MBBS Seat Matrix?

The NMC Seat Matrix provides an official breakdown of MBBS seats across government, private, and deemed universities in India. NEET candidates must have a clear understanding of this matrix during the counselling process, specifically regarding:
The total number of MBBS seats in India
The distribution of seats between the All India Quota and the State Quota.
Reservation policies, category-wise details, and other relevant criteria.

How does the increase in MBBS Seat matrix influence NEET cutoff trends?

With the increase in the number of available seats, the likelihood of NEET candidates securing admission improves, particularly for those whose NEET scores fall within the moderate range. For the upcoming academic year, this trend is expected to undergo a slight shift compared to previous years.

Will NEET UG be mandatory for admission to veterinary courses?

According to the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), only those students who have qualified in NEET or RPVT will be eligible for admission. The committee will conduct online counselling for approximately 1,200 veterinary students.

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