India’s postgraduate medical education capacity is set for a major jump after the National Medical Commission approved 4201 new PG seats in private medical colleges for the 2025 to 26 academic year. With this update, the total number of PG seats available in private institutions has risen to 7324. This is one of the largest increases in recent years and gives thousands of NEET PG aspirants a better chance of securing a seat in their preferred specialty.
The Medical Assessment and Rating Board released the official seat matrix on 27 November 2025. The notice confirms that these additions include both new allocations and increases in existing intakes across dozens of institutions. The board has also made it clear that counselling authorities do not need to wait for Letters of Permission. The seats listed on the NMC website will be considered valid during the counselling process.
The expansion covers 29 broad specialties. Some of the biggest jumps are in high demand fields. MD Anaesthesiology has gained 318 new seats and now totals 689. MD Radio Diagnosis has added 314 seats and reached 589. MS Orthopaedics has increased by 355 seats and now totals 673. MD Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy has added 240 seats and reached 432.
Core clinical departments have also seen significant additions. MD General Medicine has increased by 283 seats. MD Pediatrics has added 296 seats and now totals 557. MS General Surgery has gained 251 seats and reached 527. MS Obstetrics and Gynecology has added 282 seats. Other specialties such as Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Microbiology and Pathology have also recorded notable increases.
The state wise breakup shows a wide distribution of seats across the country. Karnataka has seen the largest jump with 712 new seats and now has a total of 1490 PG seats in private colleges. Uttar Pradesh follows closely with 613 new seats and a total of 1058.
Several other states have gained heavily. Tamil Nadu has added 418 seats and now totals 492. Telangana has added 353 and reached 533. Madhya Pradesh has added 368 seats and now totals 642. Gujarat has gained 231 seats and reached 331. West Bengal has added 177. Bihar has added 163. Maharashtra has added 146. Kerala has added 53 and Punjab 57.
Smaller states and union territories have also benefited with modest but meaningful increases that help decentralise specialist training.
While the increase promises more training opportunities for students, many people over social media had point out that seat growth alone cannot solve deeper systemic challenges such as job shortages, resident workload, pay gaps and inadequate workforce planning.
The addition of 4201 seats gives NEET PG aspirants more room to compete. With the total private PG seat count rising from 3123 to 7324, students have a wider range of options during counselling. Popular clinical specialties like Anaesthesiology, Orthopaedics, Radiology, Paediatrics and General Medicine are among the biggest gainers, which may ease competition in these streams.
For colleges, these approvals help expand capacity and strengthen academic programs. For students, the increase brings a sense of relief during a highly stressful admission cycle.
(Rh/ARC/MSM)