649 more MBBS seats for Kerala as NMC approves 10,650 new seats across India

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 10,650 additional MBBS seats across the country for the 2025–26 academic year. Kerala will get 649 more seats. Approval has also been granted for 41 new medical colleges in India. In addition, applications for 3,500 new postgraduate medical (PG) seats have been approved. With this, the total number of MBBS seats in the country has increased to 1,37,600, and PG seats to 67,000. The total number of medical colleges in India has now reached 816.

In Kerala, 700 new seats were sanctioned for 10 medical colleges, but 51 seats were reduced in two institutions, resulting in a net increase of 649 seats. The cuts include 50 seats at the Palakkad Institute of Medical Sciences and one seat at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam.

At Amrita, the seat count was reduced from 150 to 149, and at Palakkad Institute, from 150 to 100, due to failure to meet NMC standards. Across the country, a total of 456 seats have been cut for similar reasons. During his Independence Day speech in 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that 75,000 new medical seats would be added in the next five years.

Medical colleges in Kerala where seats were increased (old seat numbers in brackets):

Thodupuzha Al Azhar – 250 (150)

Thrissur Jubilee Mission – 150 (100)

Palakkad Karuna – 150 (100)

Kozhikode Malabar – 250 (200)

Palakkad PK Das – 250 (200)

Thiruvananthapuram Sree Uthradom Thirunal – 250 (150)

Kollam Travancore – 200 (150)

Kasaragod Govt. Medical College – 50 (0)

Wayanad Govt. Medical College – 50 (0)

Palakkad Mangode Kerala Medical College – 150 (0)