Since 2014, the number of medical colleges has increased by 82 per cent in the country, and MBBS seats have increased by 112 per cent, the Rajya Sabha was told on Tuesday, December 5.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Health, Bharati Pravin Pawar, said the number of postgraduate medical seats rose by 127 per cent in the same period, reported PTI.

The number of medical colleges rose from 387 in 2014 to the current number, the minister said. MBBS seats went up from 51,348 to 1,08,940 while PG seats surged from 31,185 to 70,674, in the same period.

Moreover, the construction of 157 medical colleges have been approved, 108 of which are functional, under a centrally sponsored scheme for the ‘establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals' with preference towards underserved areas and aspirational districts where there is no existing government or private medical college, Pawar said.

The construction of colleges have been approved in three phases and funding for it has been shared between the Centre and state governments — 90:10 for northeastern states and ‘special category' states, and 60:40 for the rest, she added.

As per the scheme's guidelines, planning, execution and commissioning of the projects is to be done by the state governments, added PTI.

Under the scheme, 27 medical colleges have been approved in Uttar Pradesh, out of which, 13 are functional, the minister added.