. NEW DELHI: With doctor shortage continuing to strain healthcare services, National Medical Commission has decided to continue the temporary relaxation of MBBS intake norms for existing medical colleges for the 2026–27 academic year, allowing higher admissions to speed up the supply of doctors.For this admission cycle, 2024–25, the medical regulator has kept in abeyance the provision that effectively capped MBBS intake at 150 seats per college by linking expansion to the 100 seats per 10 lakh population norm. Eligible colleges can once again apply to increase intake beyond the earlier limit, provided they meet prescribed standards for faculty strength, infrastructure and clinical workload.An NMC official said colleges complying with these norms can safely admit students beyond 150 seats, with intake permitted up to a maximum of 250 MBBS seats. The earlier proposal to strictly enforce the cap, the official added, had drawn representations from states warning that it could worsen doctor shortages. “This flexibility is critical if India is to achieve the target of adding 75,000 medical seats over the next five years,” the official said.Alongside continuation of relaxed intake norms, the commission has also opened the annual application window for setting up new medical colleges for 2026–27. According to existing regulations, new institutions will continue to admit only 150 MBBS students in their first batch. Officials said the twin approach — temporary expansion in established colleges and steady addition of new institutions — aims at balancing capacity expansion with quality control. NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board has opened an online application window for both new colleges and seat expansion in existing ones. Applications will be accepted through the NMC portal from Dec 29, 2025, to Jan 28, 2026, with submissions closing at 6pm on the final day.The regulator has stressed that quality norms will not be diluted. Only colleges fully compliant with Undergraduate Minimum Standard Requirements, 2023, and related regulations will be considered. Incomplete applications will be rejected without further correspondence.Existing medical colleges can apply for a maximum of 100 additional MBBS seats at a time, with assessments conducted strictly for the number of seats sought. Inspections — physical, virtual or hybrid — will verify faculty attendance, hospital patient load, infrastructure, financial capability and academic readiness. “Work-in-progress” applications will not be entertained.Officials said the relaxation reflects a calibrated effort to expand medical education capacity while safeguarding standards.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDelhi HC Grants Bail To Kuldeep Sengar; Victim’s Sister Says ‘Put Us In Jail To Keep Us Safe’India Summons Bangladesh High Commissioner Over Violence Against Hindus, Protests Continue”No Cases Filed”: Prachy Accuses Yunus Administration Of Protecting Convicted TerroristsExperts Warn India As Yunus Loses Control In Bangladesh After Hadi Killing Sparks Unrest NationwidePAN-Aadhaar Deadline Nears: How To Link Before December 31 Or Risk Inoperative PAN From Next Year“Neither Janmat Nor Janpath”: Bjp Alleges Growing Rebellion Against Rahul Gandhi Within CongressPak PM Sharif’s Party Leader Threatens India, Warns Missiles Will Respond If Bangladesh Is TargetedIndia’s BrahMos Missile Goes Global As India Closes $450m Defence Pacts With Vietnam And Indonesia’Make Her PM & See…’: Congress MP Endorses Priyanka Gandhi; BJP Takes ‘No Faith In Rahul’ DigHanuman Chalisa Verse Echoes In Delhi As Hindu Lynching In Bangladesh Triggers High Voltage Protests123PhotostoriesFrom Rajat Bedi to Akshaye Khanna: Best Bollywood comebacks of 202510 local Indian Christmas delicacies that are a must try5 latest bridal nath designs to elevate your traditional Indian wedding lookCosmic Fungi explained: The strange radiation-eating organisms found at Chernobyl8 classic Chicken Soups to keep you warm this winterMerry Christmas 2025: 10 famous classic Christmas dishes from around the worldAryan Khan with ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’; Tisca Chopra with ‘Saali Mohabbat’: Meet the debut directors of 2025From taking her first steps post delivery to updating fans on Kaju’s health and Laughter Chefs shoot, Bharti Singh shares an emotional hospital vlog7 common healthy-looking foods that are secretly causing inflammationInfrastructure Push Ahead as PMC Eyes Rs 200 Cr from Merged Zone123Hot PicksUAE WeatherPAN-Aadhaar linkingGold price predictionGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays DecemberBank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingDwyane Wade WifeKai Cenat Mental HealthGeorge Kittle InjuryGiannis AntetokounmpoJack EichelCraig BerubePaul Heyman and Marla Heyman Net WorthDK MetcalfJade Cargill and Brandon Net WorthMax Holloway Net Worth
NEW DELHI: With doctor shortage continuing to strain healthcare services, National Medical Commission has decided to continue the temporary relaxation of MBBS intake norms for existing medical colleges for the 2026–27 academic year, allowing higher admissions to speed up the supply of doctors.For this admission cycle, 2024–25, the medical regulator has kept in abeyance the provision that effectively capped MBBS intake at 150 seats per college by linking expansion to the 100 seats per 10 lakh population norm. Eligible colleges can once again apply to increase intake beyond the earlier limit, provided they meet prescribed standards for faculty strength, infrastructure and clinical workload.An NMC official said colleges complying with these norms can safely admit students beyond 150 seats, with intake permitted up to a maximum of 250 MBBS seats. The earlier proposal to strictly enforce the cap, the official added, had drawn representations from states warning that it could worsen doctor shortages. “This flexibility is critical if India is to achieve the target of adding 75,000 medical seats over the next five years,” the official said.Alongside continuation of relaxed intake norms, the commission has also opened the annual application window for setting up new medical colleges for 2026–27. According to existing regulations, new institutions will continue to admit only 150 MBBS students in their first batch. Officials said the twin approach — temporary expansion in established colleges and steady addition of new institutions — aims at balancing capacity expansion with quality control. NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board has opened an online application window for both new colleges and seat expansion in existing ones. Applications will be accepted through the NMC portal from Dec 29, 2025, to Jan 28, 2026, with submissions closing at 6pm on the final day.The regulator has stressed that quality norms will not be diluted. Only colleges fully compliant with Undergraduate Minimum Standard Requirements, 2023, and related regulations will be considered. Incomplete applications will be rejected without further correspondence.Existing medical colleges can apply for a maximum of 100 additional MBBS seats at a time, with assessments conducted strictly for the number of seats sought. Inspections — physical, virtual or hybrid — will verify faculty attendance, hospital patient load, infrastructure, financial capability and academic readiness. “Work-in-progress” applications will not be entertained.Officials said the relaxation reflects a calibrated effort to expand medical education capacity while safeguarding standards.
