New Delhi: Over 5,800 post-graduate seats have been added this year across medical colleges in the country, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha that the emphasis of the government on increasing the number of doctors in the country will improve the doctor-population ratio.

“There are 479 medical colleges in the country with an intake capacity of 67,352 MBBS seats. 13,004 MBBS seats have been added in the last three years,” he said.

“To increase the availability of faculty and specialist doctors in the country, one-time increase in PG seats was permitted this year after the revision of teacher student ratio. In all, over 5,800 PG seats have been added this year,” the minister said.

Choubey also said that the government is implementing a centrally-sponsored scheme for the establishment of new medical colleges attached with district/referral hospitals in 58 districts in 20 states and union territories in under- served areas of the country.

There are other centrally sponsored schemes for increasing under-graduate seats and post-graduate seats in the existing government medical colleges, the minister said.

“Minimum Standard Requirements (MSRs) for medical colleges including requirement of land, faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure has been rationalised to facilitate setting up of new colleges,” he said.