1,425 PG medical seats remained unfilled last year, says health minister

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a reply to the lokn sabha that a total of 1,425 PG medical seats remained vacant last year.

Medical seats in the post-graduate programme have not yet been reserved completely. Addressing the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Health Mansukh Mandaviya said that a total of 1,425 post-graduate seats,1,365 broad-specialty and 60 diplomas remained vacant in the 2020-21 academic year, according to information provided by the National Medical Council. The health minister was replying to a question about the number of PG medical seats that were left unfilled during the previous academic year.

Replying further to a written question, the union health minister said that according to the provisions of Regulations on Graduate Medical Education and Post Graduate Medical Education, common counselling for admission to central medical educational institutions, all India quota seats in government medical colleges and deemed universities is conducted by the Medical Council Committee (MCC).

Similarly, for state quota seats in government medical colleges and all seats in private medical colleges, the relevant state governments undertake common counselling and are responsible for filling the seats, he explained.Steps taken to ensure no seat remains vacant

While listing the steps taken to ensure that PG medical seats are not left vacant, the union health minister informed that benchmark percentile for getting an admission into PG degree and diploma courses has been reduced whereas, the counselling for all India quota PG (broad specialty) seats increased to four rounds from 2021.

A centrally sponsored scheme for strengthening or upgradation of existing state government or central government medical colleges, and a central sector scheme for upgradation of government medical colleges by construction of super specialty blocks are amongst some of the steps taken to increase the availability of medical post-graduate seats in the country further.

He added that 19 AIIMS have commenced undergraduate courses, DNB qualifications have been recognised for appointment as faculty to address a shortage of teaching staff, DNB qualifications have been recognised for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of teaching staff, DNB diploma courses in eight broad specialties have been authorised, and the teacher-to-student ratio has been rationalised to expand the number of post-graduate medical seats in the country.

According to the union health minister, the regulations have been amended to make it essential for all medical institutions to begin PG programmes within three years of their MBBS recognition or continuation of recognition.