India currently has 86,360 postgraduate medical seats nationwide. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda announced this figure in the Lok Sabha. These seats are approved by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS).
State-Wise Seat Distribution
Karnataka leads with the highest number of PG medical seats for the 2026-27 academic year. The state has 10,092 seats . Of these, 2,805 are in government institutions, and 7,287 are in private ones.
Maharashtra follows with 9,216 PG medical seats. This total includes 4,277 government seats and 4,939 private seats.
Tamil Nadu has 8,023 seats, with 3,030 in government institutions and 4,993 in private ones. Uttar Pradesh offers 7,437 postgraduate medical seats.
Telangana has 5,248 seats. Andhra Pradesh provides 4,782 seats.
Expansion Plans for PG Seats
The government plans to add 5,000 more PG medical seats . This will occur between 2025-26 and 2028-29. This initiative is part of a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to upgrade medical colleges and hospitals.
The cost ceiling for each PG seat has been increased to ₹1.50 crore. The NMC has established regulations for new PG courses and increased intake in existing ones. Institutions must meet faculty, infrastructure, and clinical facility requirements.
Diploma to DNB Conversion
There is no current proposal to convert all Diploma seats into full Doctor of National Board (DNB) seats. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has not initiated such plans.
Medical PG Fees
Fee structures for medical courses are set by state and Union Territory governments. This results in varying fees across different regions.
In February 2022, the NMC issued guidelines for fees in private medical colleges and deemed universities. These guidelines apply to 50 percent of seats. The matter is currently under judicial review.
NBEMS programs, including DNB, DrNB, FNB, and Diploma courses, have a centrally regulated fee. The annual course fee for these programs is ₹1.25 lakh , uniform nationwide.
