NMC approves 318 additional postgraduate medical seats in Odisha, bringing the total to 938 and introducing PG courses across five government colleges
OdishaPlus Bureau
Odisha has secured 318 additional postgraduate medical seats following approval by the National Medical Commission (NMC), taking the total number of PG seats in the state from 620 to 938.
The expansion will also enable five government medical colleges to introduce postgraduate courses for the first time, with 153 seats sanctioned across these institutions.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the approvals cover 14 medical disciplines and would strengthen specialist medical education as well as healthcare delivery across the state.
Dharanidhar Medical College and Hospital in Kendujhar has received the highest allocation among the five new institutions, with 44 seats across 10 departments. Government Medical College and Hospital in Sundargarh has been allotted 22 seats, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College in Koraput 28, Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College in Talcher 32, and Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Government Medical College in Phulbani 27.
Several existing institutions have also received additional seats. Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College in Baripada has increased its intake from 20 to 53, while Bhima Bhoi Medical College in Balangir has expanded from 10 to 54. Fakir Mohan Medical College in Baleshwar has seen its PG intake rise from eight to 54.
PGIMER and Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar have received 11 additional seats, while SCB Medical College in Kataka has been allotted 17 more. Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer has received three additional seats, and VIMSAR in Burla has received 11.
The newly approved seats cover Anatomy, Anaesthesiology, Biochemistry, Community Medicine, ENT, General Medicine, General Surgery, Microbiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Pathology, Psychiatry and Respiratory Medicine.
Mahaling said the introduction of postgraduate courses in Kendujhar, Sundargada, Koraput, Talcher and Phulbani would promote regional equity and the decentralisation of healthcare. It would also create opportunities for medical graduates to pursue specialist training closer to their home districts and improve the availability of specialist doctors in underserved regions.
The expansion marks a substantial increase in Odisha’s postgraduate medical education capacity, although the availability of trained faculty, infrastructure and clinical facilities will remain important for translating the additional seats into improved healthcare services.