India’s healthcare and medical education ecosystem has undergone a massive transformation since 2014. It is result of consistent government investments, policy reforms, and expansion of training capacity. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Shri Prataprao Jadhav presented detailed data showcasing the scale of this growth.
From medical colleges and UG-PG seats to nursing workforce and healthcare infrastructure norms, the data reveals a major shift in India’s ability to train healthcare professionals and strengthen service delivery.
Number of Medical Colleges Rises from 387 to 818
One of the most significant achievements since 2014 is the doubling of medical colleges across India.
- 2014: 387 medical colleges
- 2025: 818 medical colleges
Policy of Union government and the National Medical Commission (NMC):
- Establishment of new government medical colleges under centrally sponsored schemes
- Increased private sector participation
- Upgradation of district hospitals into teaching institutions
- Strengthening of medical infrastructure in aspirational districts
This directly contributes to greater seat availability and wider access to medical education.
Join NEET News 2025 Significant Growth in UG Medical Seats: 51,348 to 1,28,875
The growth in medical colleges naturally led to a drastic jump in undergraduate MBBS seats:
- UG seats in 2014: 51,348
- UG seats in 2025: 1,28,875
This is an increase of 151%, marking the largest expansion in MBBS training capacity in India’s history.
The rapid seat increase helps:
- Reduce doctor shortages
- Improve availability of medical education in underserved regions
- Bring India closer to WHO-recommended doctor-population standards
PG Medical Seats Grow Substantially from 31,185 to 82,059
Postgraduate medical education has seen even more dramatic growth, essential for building India’s specialist doctor workforce.
- PG seats in 2014: 31,185
- PG seats in 2025: 82,059
This represents a 163% increase in PG training capacity.
The rise is driven by:
- Creation of new MD/MS/DNB seats
- Addition of new departments in existing colleges
- Policy incentives for expansion of clinical specialties
- Upgradation of hospitals to meet MCI/NMC norms
This expansion ensures a larger pool of specialists in fields including anaesthesia, surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, and emerging super-specialties.
India’s Nursing Workforce: 42.94 Lakh Registered Personnel
As per data from the Indian Nursing Council (INC):
- India has 42.94 lakh registered nursing personnel as of 31 March 2025.
- There are 5,253 nursing institutions (809 government + 4,444 private).
- These institutions produce nearly 3.87 lakh nurses annually.
This constitutes one of the largest nursing education networks in the world, critical for strengthening maternal health, critical care, community health, and hospital services.
Healthcare Infrastructure Norms Under IPHS 2022
The Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS 2022) prescribe infrastructure norms based on population coverage. Key recommendations include:
Hospital Bed Norm
- 1 bed per 1000 population (WHO-aligned standard)
Facility-Wise Norms
| Facility Type | Beds | Population Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| AAM-PHC (Ayushman Arogya Mandir – PHC) | 6 beds | 20,000-30,000 |
| Community Health Centre (CHC) | 30 beds | 80,000-1,20,000 |
| Sub-District Hospital | 31-100 beds | 1,00,000-5,00,000 |
| District Hospital | 101-500 beds | Up to 30,00,000 |
These norms guide states in planning infrastructure to ensure equitable access to healthcare services.
Doctor Population Ratio: India Reaches 1:811
As of now:
- Registered allopathic doctors: 13,86,150
- Registered AYUSH practitioners: 7,51,768
- Assuming 80% availability, the effective doctor-population ratio is 1:811.
This is better than the WHO recommendation of 1:1000, a major milestone for India’s health workforce.
The improvement is primarily due to:
- Growth in MBBS and PG seats
- AYUSH integration into primary healthcare
- Expanded hiring under NHM and state health services
The data presented in the Rajya Sabha highlights India’s decade-long healthcare transformation, marked by:
- Doubling of medical colleges
- Record expansion of UG & PG Seats
- Strengthening of the nursing workforce
- Improved doctor-population ratio
- Clear infrastructure planning under IPHS 2022
These reforms collectively aim to build a stronger, more skilled, and more equitable healthcare system, preparing India to meet current and future public health challenges.
