Gujarat proposes 5 new medical colleges with 100 MBBS seats each; to cross 6,300 mark

Ahmedabad: With the beginning of the new year, the Gujarat Government has proposed the Centre for the establishment of 5 new medical colleges in the state with 100 MBBS seats each.

The confirmation to this effect was given by the Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel wherein he announced that the state will seek approval to set up five new medical colleges in Panchmahal, Gir-Somnath, Devbhumi- Dwarka, Botad and Morbi districts under a Central government scheme.

As per July 2019 data, the state had 5,190 MBBS seats across 29 Medical colleges. Of these, 3,350 MBBS seats are in 17 government medical colleges while 1,840 MBBS seats are allotted to 12 private medical institutes. The state had also increased the MBBS seats corresponding to the implementation of 10 per cent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in MBBS admissions.

Read Also: Gujarat to Implement 10 percent EWS quota; 914 more MBBS seats to be added

Now, if the state manages to bag the approval from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) on the proposed new medical colleges, the total number of MBBS seats in the state is set to cross the 6,300 mark with the addition of 500 MBBS seats.

Speaking to PTI, Patel informed that that existing government-run hospitals in Panchmahal, Gir-Somnath, Devbhumi-Dwarka, Botad and Morbi districts would be attached to the new colleges after upgrading them as per Medical Council of India (MCI) norms. "The Union government has identified 75 districts in the country which do not have a medical college. Few months back, we had sent a proposal to build medical colleges in Narmada, Porbandar and Navsari districts. Now, we are sending another proposal to the Centre to approve medical colleges in these five districts," said Patel.

"To run a medical college, the attached hospital must have at least 300 beds as per the MCI norms. Thus, the state government will first upgrade these five hospitals as per the norms before building the medical colleges," he said adding that each college would cost Rs 325 crore, taking the total expenditure to Rs 1625 crore.

"As per the central scheme, 60 per cent of the Rs 1625 crore cost for the five colleges will be borne by the Centre while the state government would contribute 40 per cent. We will give the land free of cost." said Patel.