THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, NOVEMBER 6, 2026
In a major boost to medical education and specialised healthcare, Odisha
has secured approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for 318
additional postgraduate (PG) medical seats across its government medical
institutions, taking the state's total PG seat strength from 620 to 938.
The expansion marks a significant milestone in strengthening the state's
medical education infrastructure, with five newer government medical colleges
set to introduce postgraduate courses for the first time.
According to the approved allocation, Dharanidhar Medical College,
Keonjhar, will get 44 PG seats across 10 departments, followed by Pavitra Mohan
Pradhan Medical College, Talcher, with 32 seats in 10 departments. Saheed
Laxman Nayak Medical College, Koraput, has been sanctioned 28 seats across nine
departments, while Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Medical College, Phulbani, will
offer 27 seats in eight departments. Government Medical College, Sundargarh,
will have 22 seats across eight departments.
Several existing medical institutions have also received a substantial
increase in their postgraduate intake. Bhima Bhoi Medical College, Balangir,
has seen its PG seats rise from 10 to 54, while Fakir Mohan Medical College,
Balasore, will now have 54 seats against the earlier eight. PRM Medical
College, Baripada, has witnessed an increase from 20 to 53 seats.
In addition, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, has received 17 new seats,
while PGIMER and Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, and Veer Surendra Sai Institute
of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, have secured 11 additional
seats each. Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, Cuttack, has
been sanctioned three more seats.
The newly approved seats cover 14 medical disciplines, including Anatomy,
Anaesthesiology, Biochemistry, Community Medicine, ENT, General Medicine,
General Surgery, Microbiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics,
Paediatrics, Pathology, Psychiatry and Respiratory Medicine.
Welcoming the NMC's decision, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh
Mahaling expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister
Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and the National Medical
Commission for facilitating the expansion.
Mahaling said the increase in PG seats from 620 to 938 was not merely an
expansion of medical education but a historic step towards creating a larger
pool of skilled specialist doctors in Odisha.
The minister said the introduction of postgraduate programmes in
districts and regions such as Kendujhar, Sundargarh, Koraput, Talcher and
Phulbani would strengthen regional equity and decentralise specialised
healthcare services.
He expressed confidence that the expansion would improve the availability
of specialist doctors in the state and enable people to access quality
healthcare closer to their homes, reducing the need to travel to major urban
centres for specialised treatment.
The development is expected to give a major push to Odisha's healthcare
ecosystem by strengthening medical education beyond established urban
institutions and creating new opportunities for aspiring postgraduate medical
students across the state.
