Centre approves 320 PG Medical seats for Himachal, Rs 415 Crore grant

Centre approves 320 PG Medical seats for Himachal, Rs 415 Crore grant

New Delhi/Shimla, Oct 24,

The Centre has approved all 320 proposed postgraduate (PG) medical seats across six government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh, along with central financial assistance of approximately Rs 415 crore to strengthen medical education and specialist healthcare services in the state.

https://x.com/JPNadda/status/2113861736721752067

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda announced the approval on Saturday, saying the decision followed a proposal submitted by the Himachal Pradesh government on June 23 and discussions with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on October 6 during the convocation ceremony at AIIMS Bilaspur.

According to the minister, all 320 seats proposed by the state have been approved. He urged the state government to ensure their creation within the prescribed timeframe and expedite other development projects supported by the Centre.

The expansion is part of the Centre’s broader initiative to add 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats across the country over five years, with an estimated outlay of Rs 15,000 crore.

IGMC Shimla to get 91 additional seats

The 320 seats are distributed among six government medical colleges. Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, will receive the largest share of 91 seats, followed by Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, and Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, with 57 seats each.

Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Mandi, will get 55 additional seats, while Dr Y.S. Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan, will receive 32 and Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba, 28.

PG seats to rise from 277 to 597

Before this expansion, the six government medical colleges had a combined postgraduate intake of 277 seats. With the addition of 320 seats, their combined capacity is set to rise to 597.

The college-wise figures reported by the state government are:

• IGMC Shimla: 139 to 230 seats
• Government Medical College, Tanda: 99 to 156 seats
• Government Medical College, Hamirpur: 8 to 65 seats
• Government Medical College, Mandi: 24 to 79 seats
• Government Medical College, Nahan: 3 to 35 seats
• Government Medical College, Chamba: 4 to 32 seats

The expansion is expected to create more opportunities for MBBS graduates seeking specialist qualifications within the state while strengthening the availability of trained doctors in government hospitals.

Postgraduate medical students, particularly those pursuing clinical specialities, also contribute to patient care and the functioning of teaching hospitals. The expansion could therefore help address specialist shortages, although the actual impact will depend on the timely establishment of approved seats, availability of faculty and clinical infrastructure, and completion of the necessary regulatory requirements.

The Centre’s financial assistance is intended to support the expansion of medical education capacity. The state government will now need to ensure that the additional seats are operationalised in a time-bound manner.

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