The Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) in Odisha is set to conduct a comprehensive review of the state's government medical colleges. This move comes in response to the National Medical Commission's (NMC) decision to extend the temporary relaxation of MBBS intake norms for existing colleges for the 2026-27 academic year.
Review Meeting to Decide on Seat Enhancement
DMET Director Dr. Santosh Mishra confirmed on Wednesday that a review meeting will be convened soon. The primary objective is to explore the feasibility of increasing the MBBS seat strength across Odisha's 14 government medical colleges. "We will meet the representatives from the 14 government medical colleges and decide on whether to increase the MBBS seats," Dr. Mishra stated.
The review will critically assess the existing infrastructure, including classrooms and laboratories, which is a mandatory requirement for any seat augmentation. Dr. Mishra emphasized that NMC officials will inspect these parameters during their evaluation before granting final permission for any increase in seat strength.
Application Window and Current Seat Distribution
According to the NMC's notification, the application window for medical colleges seeking to increase their MBBS seats will open on December 29. The portal will remain accessible on the official NMC website until 6 pm on January 28. This window is also applicable for new institutions seeking to establish medical colleges.
Currently, Odisha has a total of 2,650 MBBS seats distributed across 14 government medical colleges, three private colleges, and two deemed universities. The seat distribution among major government institutions is as follows:
- SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack: 250 seats
- MKCG Medical College, Berhampur: 250 seats
- Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Studies and Research (VIMSAR), Burla: 200 seats
- Medical colleges at Koraput and Baripada: 125 seats each
- Colleges at Balangir, Balasore, Puri, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Bhawanipatna, Kandhamal, and Talcher: 100 seats each
- Jajati Keshari Medical College and Hospital, Jajpur: 50 seats
Potential for Growth and Infrastructure Focus
A senior health department official indicated that certain colleges have significant potential for expansion. Notably, VIMSAR in Burla has the potential to add 50 more MBBS seats. Several other medical colleges are also expected to consider applying for an increase in their undergraduate (UG) intake.
The entire process underscores the critical link between infrastructure development and capacity enhancement in medical education. The state's decision will hinge on a realistic appraisal of each college's physical and academic resources to ensure that quality of education is not compromised while increasing the number of medical professionals trained in Odisha.
