India has seen a 39% jump in MBBS seats over the past four years—from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 1,15,900 in 2024–25. But the worrying bit? Thousands of seats are still going vacant each year.
In 2024–25 alone, 2,849 undergraduate medical seats remained unfilled, as per data presented in Parliament by Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel on August 1.
The biggest spike in vacancies was recorded in 2022–23, when 4,146 seats (excluding AIIMS and JIPMER) went unclaimed. Since then, the number has dropped but hasn’t disappeared.
| Academic Year | Vacant UG Seats |
|---|---|
| 2021–22 | 2,012 |
| 2022–23 | 4,146 |
| 2023–24 | 2,959 |
| 2024–25 | 2,849 |
WHICH STATES LEAD IN MBBS SEATS?
Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat are among the top states contributing the most MBBS seats.
These states led both in 2020–21 and 2024–25. For instance, UP’s seat count jumped from 7,428 to 12,325 and Tamil Nadu’s from 8,000 to 12,000.
Here’s a look at MBBS seat growth across states:
| S.No. | State/UT | 2020–21 Seats | 2024–25 Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andaman & Nicobar | 100 | 114 |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | 5,210 | 6,585 |
| 3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 50 | 100 |
| 4 | Assam | 1,050 | 1,700 |
| 5 | Bihar | 2,140 | 2,995 |
| 6 | Chandigarh | 150 | 150 |
| 7 | Chhattisgarh | 1,345 | 2,105 |
| 8 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 150 | 177 |
| 9 | Delhi | 1,422 | 1,346 |
| 10 | Goa | 180 | 200 |
| 11 | Gujarat | 5,700 | 7,000 |
| 12 | Haryana | 1,660 | 2,185 |
| 13 | Himachal Pradesh | 920 | 920 |
| 14 | Jammu & Kashmir | 1,135 | 1,385 |
| 15 | Jharkhand | 780 | 1,055 |
| 16 | Karnataka | 9,345 | 12,194 |
| 17 | Kerala | 4,105 | 4,705 |
| 18 | Madhya Pradesh | 3,585 | 4,900 |
| 19 | Maharashtra | 9,000 | 11,844 |
| 20 | Manipur | 225 | 525 |
| 21 | Meghalaya | 50 | 150 |
| 22 | Mizoram | 100 | 100 |
| 23 | Nagaland | 0 | 100 |
| 24 | Odisha | 1,950 | 2,675 |
| 25 | Puducherry | 1,530 | 1,873 |
| 26 | Punjab | 1,425 | 1,699 |
| 27 | Rajasthan | 4,200 | 6,279 |
| 28 | Sikkim | 50 | 150 |
| 29 | Tamil Nadu | 8,000 | 12,000 |
| 30 | Telangana | 5,240 | 8,915 |
| 31 | Tripura | 225 | 400 |
| 32 | Uttar Pradesh | 7,428 | 12,325 |
| 33 | Uttarakhand | 825 | 1,350 |
| 34 | West Bengal | 4,000 | 5,699 |
WHAT’S DRIVING THIS GROWTH?
The government has been pushing hard to improve medical education across India. New medical colleges have come up in underserved areas, many under a centrally sponsored scheme. Of the 157 new colleges approved, 131 are already running.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) also introduced the Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations in 2023. These rules ensure new colleges meet minimum infrastructure, faculty, and clinical benchmarks before getting the green light.
Besides new institutions, older state and central medical colleges are being upgraded to increase MBBS and postgraduate intake. The aim is clear: meet India’s growing need for qualified doctors — but also make sure no seat goes to waste.
– Ends