Ladakh's first medical college to become operational in 2027, Centre approves staff recruitment

Leh/Jammu: Ladakh's first medical college in Leh is set to become a reality in 2027, with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approving its operationalisation and granting a one-time relaxation to initiate preparatory recruitment of faculty and support staff before the completion of 80 per cent of the infrastructure, officials said.

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday welcomed the approval and thanked Union Health Minister J P Nadda for taking cognisance of his request for the relaxation, saying it would enable the Union Territory administration to begin staggered recruitment against 103 sanctioned regular posts while construction of the dedicated academic infrastructure progresses.

"I sincerely thank Health Minister J P Nadda ji for taking cognisance of my request and granting a one-time relaxation from 80 per cent completion of the infrastructure before initiating recruitment of faculty and support staff," Saxena said on X.

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Ladakh GMC gets recruitment relaxation

The Union health ministry approved a one-time relaxation in the infrastructure completion requirement to facilitate recruitment of faculty and supporting staff for the proposed Government Medical College (GMC) at Stipuk Pharka, scheduled to become operational from the academic year 2027-28.

The approval, conveyed in a letter dated October 13, 2026, to the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Ladakh Health and Medical Education Department, allows the administration to initiate staggered recruitment of faculty and supporting staff before 80 per cent of the college infrastructure is complete.

LG pushes for medical college launch

In a two-page letter to Nadda, Saxena sought relaxation in the infrastructure completion requirement to facilitate timely recruitment and ensure that the proposed medical college becomes operational as scheduled. The approval marks a significant milestone in Ladakh's efforts to establish its first medical college and fulfil a long-standing aspiration of the people of the region, the LG said.

"This crucial intervention allows us to initiate staggered, preparatory recruitment for 103 sanctioned regular posts, right away, even as the construction of our dedicated academic infrastructure progresses," he said.

The proposed medical college is expected to expand opportunities for students from Ladakh to pursue medical education closer to home and strengthen the region's healthcare infrastructure over the long term.

The establishment of the institution is also expected to improve access to trained medical professionals and contribute to the development of healthcare services in the strategically important Union Territory, where geographical challenges and difficult climatic conditions often complicate access to specialised medical facilities, they said.

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College prepares for 2027-28 launch

Saxena said the administration would make all necessary arrangements to welcome the first batch of medical students and ensure that the institution is ready to begin academic activities in the 2027-28 session. The approval for preparatory recruitment is expected to help the administration advance staffing arrangements alongside the ongoing construction work, reducing the risk of delays in operationalising the institution.

The medical college is expected to emerge as a major addition to Ladakh's educational and healthcare infrastructure, providing local students with greater access to professional medical education while strengthening the availability of healthcare personnel in the region. According to the communication issued by the ministry, the Department of Expenditure examined the proposal and agreed to it subject to specified conditions.

"The 103 posts were sanctioned through a Department of Expenditure note dated November 27, 2024. Their recruitment will be undertaken in a staggered manner, in accordance with academic requirements from the 2027-28 academic year onwards, as identified by the UT administration in its communication dated August 5, 2026," the letter said.

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Ministry sets recruitment rules

The ministry has stipulated that all posts must be filled on a regular basis strictly in accordance with the approved recruitment rules. It has also directed the UT administration to ensure that any interim arrangements made for the college remain temporary. Once the proposed infrastructure at Stipuk Pharka is completed, the facilities and arrangements must be shifted to the dedicated infrastructure.

The administration has further been asked to fix reasonable timelines for the readiness of the proposed infrastructure to accommodate the interim arrangements and inform the Department of Expenditure when the transition to the permanent infrastructure takes place. The letter, issued with the approval of the competent authority by Under Secretary Anurag Tiwari, follows the UT administration's request to facilitate the timely operationalisation of the proposed medical college.