Congress member Shashi Tharoor praised the government's approval of a Rs 15,034 crore initiative to create over 10,000 additional medical seats. The Union Cabinet sanctioned 5,023 new MBBS positions and 5,000 postgraduate slots under Phase-III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme. This expansion targets existing state and central government medical institutions alongside standalone postgraduate institutes. The initiative aims to strengthen India's healthcare workforce development significantly.
Tharoor emphasized how seat shortages previously compelled middle-class students to pursue medical education overseas in institutions with questionable standards. The Thiruvananthapuram representative highlighted this expansion as vital for retaining domestic talent and financial resources. He advocated for continued capacity growth to meet demand from students unable to afford private medical education. India currently operates 808 medical colleges with 1,23,700 MBBS seats, adding 69,352 positions over the past decade.
Tharoor emphasized how seat shortages previously compelled middle-class students to pursue medical education overseas in institutions with questionable standards. The Thiruvananthapuram representative highlighted this expansion as vital for retaining domestic talent and financial resources. He advocated for continued capacity growth to meet demand from students unable to afford private medical education. India currently operates 808 medical colleges with 1,23,700 MBBS seats, adding 69,352 positions over the past decade.
