The National Medical Commission (NMC) is set to increase the number of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical seats across India by nearly 8,000 for the academic session 2025-26, officials said. The move is aimed at strengthening medical education infrastructure and addressing the shortage of doctors in the country.

According to sources, the expansion will come through the establishment of new medical colleges and the addition of seats in existing government and private institutions. This increase will be distributed between MBBS (UG) and MD/MS (PG) courses, with a significant share likely to benefit government colleges in underserved regions.

The NMC had earlier introduced stricter norms for faculty, infrastructure, and hospital facilities to ensure quality medical education. With the new expansion, more students will get an opportunity to pursue medical education, easing the pressure of high competition in national entrance exams like NEET-UG and NEET-PG.

Healthcare experts have welcomed the decision, highlighting that the move will help improve the doctor-patient ratio in India, which currently lags behind World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

The detailed seat matrix and state-wise distribution of the additional seats are expected to be notified soon on the NMC portal.