Jharkhand Medical Colleges Get Major Seat Boost: MBBS & PG Seats Increased in MGM & SNMMCH

Ranchi: In a major boost to healthcare and medical education in Jharkhand, the Centre has approved a significant increase in MBBS and postgraduate seats in two major state-run medical colleges — MGM Medical College and Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH). The move is being viewed as a historic step toward strengthening the state’s healthcare infrastructure and addressing the long-standing shortage of doctors.

According to the state health department, the number of MBBS seats at SNMMCH, Dhanbad, has been increased from 100 to 250, adding 150 new seats. Meanwhile, MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur, has also received approval for an additional 100 MBBS seats.

Under the expansion plan, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 225 crore for increasing MBBS seats in the two institutions. Out of the total amount, Rs 135 crore will be borne by the Centre. In addition to undergraduate seats, approval has also been granted for an increase in postgraduate seats across various departments, which is expected to strengthen the availability of specialist doctors in the state.

Jharkhand health minister Irfan Ansari said the state had been struggling with a shortage of doctors for several years due to inadequate expansion in medical education. He stated that over the last two decades, medical infrastructure and seat capacity had not grown according to the state’s requirements.

"If efforts are made with honesty and determination, even difficult goals can be achieved. Jharkhand had very limited MBBS seats and a severe shortage of doctors. Our aim was to ensure that more students from Jharkhand become doctors and serve people within the state itself. Today, that dream is turning into reality,” the minister said.

Ansari credited the achievement to coordinated efforts of the health department, particularly additional chief secretary Ajay Kumar Singh and his team.

Singh called it a major achievement and said proposals to expand seats in other medical colleges and super-speciality courses would follow after cabinet approval.