2148 MD, MS seats added this year: Dr Harsh Vardhan provides Breakup to parliament

New Delhi: 2158 PG Seats have been increased in the academic year 2019-20 corresponding to the conversion of PG Diploma to PG medical Degree, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan recently apprised the Parliament.

In the backdrop of this information, the Union Minister furnished a breakup to the MPs entailing the number of PG medical seats that have been converted following the proposal of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to stop all MCI recognised Post-Graduate diploma courses in Medical colleges and give an equal number of MD/MS seats in return.

The subject was brought up by MP Shri Shrangare during a recent question hour where he asked Dr Harsh Vardhan to give a detailed assurance on whether the Post Graduate Diploma courses offered in the Medical Colleges across the country have been converted into degree courses.

The Union Health Minister was further asked to list the number of medical colleges and the number of seats for which applications have been received in this regard, college-wise, particularly in Maharashtra and the number of applications accepted and are under consideration.

In his reply to the said questions, Dr Harsh Vardhan pinpointed, "Medical Council of India (MCI), with the prior approval of the Central Government, has amended the Opening of a New or Higher Course of Study or Training (including Post-graduate Course of Study or Training) and Increase of Admission Capacity in any Course of Study or Training (including a Postgraduate Course of Study or Training) Regulations, 2000 to allow the medical colleges / Institutions to seek an equal number of Post Graduate (MD/MS) seats by surrendering recognized Diploma seats in the corresponding course."

He informed the parliament that as per information provided by Board of Governors in supersession of MCI (MCI BoG),

• Applications from 141 medical colleges for the conversion of 2697 Diploma seats of 843 courses into Degree seats were received. All the applications were considered by the MCI BoG and it was decided to convert 2148 PG Diploma seats of 686 courses in 115 Colleges into PG Degree seats.


• The applications for 549 seats of 157 courses in 54 colleges were not considered for such conversion keeping in view of non-fulfilment of eligibility criteria or non-furnishing of information by the medical college. State-wise information, including for Maharashtra, is at Annexure – I and II.

The Ministry, on receipt of such applications for conversion of PG Diploma seats into PG Degree seats, forwards the applications along with omission notification and undertaking to the BoG – MCI for taking decision by the last date for the grant of permission in respect of PG Broad Specialty courses for the academic year

Number of PG Medical Degree seats increased by MCI in lieu of surrender of PG Diploma seats