Centre approves 320 PG medical seats in Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: The Centre has approved 320 postgraduate medical seats across six government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh, with the Government of India providing financial assistance of around Rs 415 crore, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Saturday. Nadda said he expects the state government to complete the necessary formalities at equal speed so that people can benefit from the initiative at the earliest. The approval covering medical colleges in Shimla, Tanda, Hamirpur, Mandi, Nahan and Chamba aims to expand specialist medical education and improve access to specialised healthcare services in the state, a health ministry statement said.

Nadda said the decision was a significant step towards expanding medical education and strengthening healthcare services in the state. It would create greater opportunities for aspiring specialist doctors and improve specialised healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh, he said. The health minister said the state government submitted its proposal on June 23, 2026, and the matter was subsequently discussed with the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on October 6, 2026, during the convocation ceremony of AIIMS, Bilaspur.

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320 newly-approved seats

"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.

Of the 320 newly approved seats, 91 have been sanctioned for Shimla, 57 each for Tanda and Hamirpur, 55 for Mandi, 32 for Nahan and 28 for Chamba, the statement said. These additional seats will help strengthen specialist medical education and healthcare services in disciplines such as Surgery, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Oncology and other specialities.

Medical education in India

Nadda said medical education in India has witnessed a substantial expansion over the past 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As part of these efforts, the central government approved a Rs 15,000 crore initiative to add 10,000 new undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats across the country over five years. The approval of 320 new PG seats in Himachal Pradesh forms part of this broader initiative to expand medical education and strengthen the country's healthcare workforce, it said.

The Union Health Minister urged the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to take all necessary steps for the timely creation and operationalisation of the approved seats, the statement said. He emphasised that early action by the state would help ensure that medical graduates benefit from the expanded opportunities without delay. Nadda also called for faster implementation of other important development projects being undertaken with central government support in Himachal Pradesh.