Bhubaneswar: In a significant boost to postgraduate (PG) medical education in Odisha, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 318 additional PG medical seats across government medical colleges and medical institutions in the state.
With the latest approval, the total number of PG medical seats in Odisha has increased from 620 to 938, marking a major boost to medical education and the availability of specialist doctors in the state.
Significantly, five government medical colleges will introduce postgraduate medical courses for the first time. These include Dharanidhar Medical College and Hospital in Keonjhar, Government Medical College and Hospital in Sundargarh, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput, Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College and Hospital in Talcher, and Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Government Medical College and Hospital in Phulbani.
According to the health and Family Welfare Department, Keonjhar’s Dharanidhar Medical College has received approval for 44 PG seats across 10 departments, while Sundargarh Medical College has been sanctioned 22 seats in eight departments. Similarly, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College in Koraput has received 28 seats across nine departments, Talcher Medical College 32 seats across 10 departments, and Phulbani Medical College 27 seats across eight departments.
Several existing medical institutions have also received additional PG seats. Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada has seen its PG intake increase from 20 to 53 seats, while Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Balangir has increased its intake from 10 to 54 seats. Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore has also witnessed an increase from eight to 54 seats.
In addition, 11 seats have been added at PGIMER and Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, 17 at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, three at Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, and 11 at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla.
The additional seats have been approved across 14 medical disciplines, including Anatomy, Anaesthesiology, Biochemistry, Community Medicine, ENT, General Medicine, General Surgery, Microbiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Pathology, Psychiatry and Respiratory Medicine.
Welcoming the development, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the expansion marked a new chapter in Odisha’s healthcare and medical education sectors.
Acknowledging the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Minister also thanked Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and the National Medical Commission for their support.
He said the increase in PG medical seats from 620 to 938 was not merely an expansion of medical education but a historic step towards producing more skilled and specialist doctors in Odisha.
The Minister further observed that the introduction of PG courses in Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Koraput, Talcher and Phulbani medical colleges would strengthen regional equity and decentralise access to advanced medical education and healthcare facilities.
The expansion is expected to strengthen the state’s medical education infrastructure while creating new opportunities for higher studies and research among medical graduates. It is also likely to improve the availability of specialist doctors across different regions of Odisha, enabling people to access better-quality healthcare closer to their homes.
The initiative is being viewed as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen its healthcare delivery system and ensure wider access to specialised medical services.