The expansion without a corresponding rise in Postgraduate (PG) seats has raised concerns among medical professionals about potential systemic imbalances.
Published Feb 01, 2025 | 4:29 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 01, 2025 | 9:28 PM
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the addition of 10,000 more Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) seats in medical colleges next year, with a cumulative 75,000 seats over the next five years, marking a significant expansion in India’s medical education.
This move aims to address the country’s growing healthcare needs while raising crucial questions about quality, infrastructure and the employability of medical graduates.
Speaking to South First, Dr Kiran Madhala, Secretary General, Telangana Teaching Government Doctors Association, says, “Medical seats have doubled in the last five years, surpassing the growth seen in the previous 70 years combined.”
The newly established colleges – around 60 percent are government medical colleges – represent a positive step toward increasing accessibility to medical education, he says.
Meanwhile, Dr Rishiraj Sinha, State Convenor, JDN, Delhi, believes the expansion marks a significant milestone. “The government’s initiative is a significant step towards addressing the growing demand for healthcare professionals in the country.”
The expansion will help alleviate the shortage of doctors while improving access to medical education, particularly for aspiring students from diverse backgrounds, he says.
“By strengthening the healthcare workforce, the government is reinforcing its commitment to enhancing the overall healthcare system and ensuring the quality medical services are accessible to all citizens at minimum cost with maximum benefit,” Dr Sinha adds.
On the other hand, the expansion has raised concerns among medical professionals about potential systemic imbalances. Dr Suvrankar Datta says, “Increasing MBBS seats without a corresponding rise in Postgraduate (PG) seats will be creating an enormous imbalance in our healthcare system.
“We are living in different times and specialised training is not just good to have but essential, especially as Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms the way we diagnose and treat patients.”
Only specialists can identify the errors which AI-assisted CDSS tools risk bringing to the healthcare delivery systems, he explains. Students now routinely use tools like ChatGPT, sometimes leading to errors.
“We must ensure that our medical graduates have clear, accessible pathways for specialising, otherwise we are looking at impending doom. A surplus of MBBS doctors without advanced training will lead to underemployment and a dilution of quality patient care,” Dr Datta explains.
The solution, he believes, lies in investing in postgraduate seats and expanding government doctor positions to meet the country’s evolving needs.
Dr Madhala shares similar concerns: “The rapid pace at which medical colleges are being established and the frequent regulatory changes by the National Medical Commission are alarming. Quality should never be compromised at any cost.”
He points to a shifting landscape in medical education: “Government medical college hospitals were pillars of clinical training, providing the best exposure and experiences to future doctors. However, today, they are no longer competing with private hospitals, which now dominate in infrastructure, technology and specialist recruitment.”
The path forward requires stringent measures, according to Dr Madhala. To maintain high standards in medical education and healthcare, authorities must implement stricter criteria for future medical college approvals.
Dr Madhala lists essential requirements:
“The future of medical education in India must focus on quality rather than quantity,” Dr Madhala adds.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
