Centre approves 320 PG medical seats across six government colleges in Himachal

The Centre approved 320 PG medical seats across six Himachal Pradesh government colleges. The Centre approved a Rs 15,000-crore initiative to add 10,000 UG and PG medical seats across the country over five years

In Short

• Shimla receives 91 seats, the highest allocation among covered institutions
• Key specialities include surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics, paediatrics, gynaecology and oncology
• State authorities must complete formalities quickly to operationalise additional opportunities

The Centre has approved 320 postgraduate medical seats across six government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh, with financial assistance of around Rs 415 crore from the Union government, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Saturday, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

The seats are aimed at expanding specialist medical education and improving access to specialised healthcare in the state. Nadda asked the Himachal Pradesh government to quickly complete the required formalities so that students and the public can benefit from the initiative at the earliest.

SEATS ACROSS THESE MEDICAL COLLEGES

The approval covers government medical colleges in Shimla, Tanda, Hamirpur, Mandi, Nahan and Chamba, the Union health ministry said in a statement.

Nadda described the decision as a significant step towards expanding medical education and strengthening healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh. He said it would create more opportunities for aspiring specialist doctors and improve specialised healthcare in the state.

The state government submitted its proposal on June 23, 2026, Nadda said. The matter was later discussed with the Himachal Pradesh chief minister on October 6, 2026, during the convocation ceremony of AIIMS Bilaspur.

“The central government has acted swiftly on Himachal Pradesh's proposal and approved all 320 PG medical seats. We now expect the state government to move forward with equal speed and complete the necessary formalities so that students and people of Himachal Pradesh can benefit from this initiative at the earliest,” Nadda said, according to PTI.

Of the 320 seats, 91 have been sanctioned for Shimla, 57 each for Tanda and Hamirpur, 55 for Mandi, 32 for Nahan and 28 for Chamba, the ministry said.

The additional seats will strengthen specialist medical education and healthcare services in fields such as surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and oncology, among other specialities.

Nadda said medical education in India had expanded substantially over the past 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

As part of these efforts, the Centre approved a Rs 15,000-crore initiative to add 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats across the country over five years. The 320 new postgraduate seats in Himachal Pradesh are part of this wider initiative to expand medical education and strengthen the country's healthcare workforce, the statement said.

Nadda urged the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to take the steps needed to create the approved seats and make them operational on time. Early action by the state would ensure that medical graduates benefit from the additional opportunities without delay, he said.

The minister also called for faster implementation of other development projects in Himachal Pradesh that are receiving central support. Referring to the Chandigarh-Baddi and Bhanupalli-Bilaspur railway projects, he sought an early resolution of pending issues related to the state's financial contribution and the availability of land.

He also asked the state government to speed up work on critical care blocks and public health laboratories being developed with central assistance.

“Development projects that directly benefit the people of Himachal Pradesh should not face unnecessary delays. The central government is extending all possible support for the state's development, and we expect the state government to accord the same priority to their timely completion,” Nadda said.

“Our priority is clear — the development of Himachal Pradesh and the welfare of every family in the state,” he added.

The Centre's approval will add 320 postgraduate medical seats across six colleges in Himachal Pradesh, while the state government has been asked to complete the formalities promptly and accelerate other centrally supported projects.

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