Assam Secures 43 New PG Medical Seats, Total Rises to 839, Boosting Healthcare and Education

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In a huge boost to medical education and specialist healthcare services in Assam, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 43 additional postgraduate medical seats in Diphu and Lakhimpur medical colleges.

Announcing this, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma described the approval as a shot in the arm of the state government's sustained efforts to strengthening medical education and building a robust healthcare ecosystem in Assam.

With this addition, the total number of postgraduate medical seats in the state has risen to 839, further expanding opportunities for young medical professionals to pursue specialised training within Assam without having to go outside the state.

Significantly, all 43 newly-approved seats are in clinical disciplines, which will enhance the availability of trained specialists in important areas of patient care. 

The approved seats cover seven disciplines - namely MD-General Medicine, MD-Anaesthesiology, MD-Paediatrics, MD-Pathology, MD Radio-Diagnosis, MS-General Surgery and MS Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

The Chief Minister said expanding postgraduate medical education is an important component of the state government's broader vision of transforming Assam into a leading destination for quality medical education and advanced healthcare in the Northeast. 

He mentioned that increasing the availability of specialist training opportunities within the state will not only benefit aspiring doctors but also strengthen the pool of qualified medical professionals serving people across Assam.

He described the latest approval as part of the government's sustained efforts to expand medical education infrastructure, enhance institutional capacity and improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. 

By strengthening medical colleges beyond undergraduate education and expanding opportunities for advanced clinical training, Assam is steadily building the foundations of a self-reliant healthcare system equipped to address increasingly complex medical needs.

He reiterated that the state government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for world-class medical education, nurturing skilled healthcare professionals and ensuring that the people of Assam have access to quality and specialised medical care closer to home. 

In the first five decades after the country's independence, only three medical colleges were established in Assam. Thereafter, with the addition of five new medical colleges between 2000 and 2020, this number increased to eight. 

On the other hand, in just five years (between 2021 and 2025), the state government was able to dedicate six newly-established medical colleges to public service. 

In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Northeast's first AIIMS at Changsari in Guwahati in 2023. 

During this period, the Central government also constructed the ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati and opened it for public service. With the inauguration of Bongaigaon Medical College and Hospital, the number of medical colleges in the state has risen to 17. 

Construction work is underway on another nine medical colleges in the state. Moreover, decisions have been taken to establish medical colleges in Bajali, Hailakandi and Majuli. Through these initiatives, the state government is moving towards achieving its goal of establishing one medical college in every district of Assam. 

As a result of the increase in the number of medical colleges, the total number of MBBS seats in the state has exceeded 2,000. Once all the medical colleges currently under construction in the state are completed, the number of MBBS seats will exceed 3,000. 

The state government has achieved considerable success not only in establishing medical colleges and increasing the number of seats in medical courses, but also in strengthening Assam's public healthcare system. 

By strengthening the public healthcare system and making healthcare services more accessible and people-oriented, the state has reduced the maternal mortality rate from 195 in 2018-19 to 110 in 2021-23. Similarly, the infant mortality rate has declined from 36 in 2020 to 30 in 2023. At present, the rate of institutional deliveries is more than 98 percent, while the child immunisation rate is more than 95 percent. 

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