Fri Aug 01 22:48:02 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, along with a summary of the content:
**Summary:**
Despite a significant increase in MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) seats across India, a substantial number remain vacant each year, raising concerns about access, affordability, and the distribution of medical institutions. The Union Government revealed these figures in the Lok Sabha. While efforts are underway to enhance infrastructure and expand medical education opportunities through schemes like PMSSY and the establishment of new AIIMS, the vacancy rates highlight persistent challenges in filling available seats.
**News Article:**
**MBBS Seats Go Begging Despite Expansion Efforts: Govt. Admits Vacancies in Lok Sabha**
**Eluru, Andhra Pradesh – August 2, 2025** – Despite a concerted push to increase the number of medical undergraduate seats in India, thousands remain vacant annually, the Union Government revealed in Parliament yesterday.
Responding to a question from Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Kumar in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, disclosed that significant numbers of MBBS seats went unfilled in recent academic years: 2,012 in 2021–22, 4,146 in 2022–23, 2,959 in 2023–24, and 2,849 in 2024–25. The data excludes seats at AIIMS and JIPMER institutions.
While acknowledging the persistent issue of vacancies, the Union Minister highlighted the government’s efforts to address the shortage of medical professionals. “We have increased the number of MBBS seats by 39% in the last five years, from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 1,15,900 in 2024–25,” Patel stated. However, the continued high vacancy rates suggest underlying problems related to access, affordability, and the distribution of medical institutions across the country.
To address the situation, the government has introduced measures like the ‘Minimum Standard Requirements–2023’, which mandates improved infrastructure standards for medical colleges, including a 220-bed hospital for every 50 students and compulsory rural and urban clinical training.
The Centre is also investing heavily in infrastructure through the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), which has approved 157 new medical colleges (131 operational) and 75 super-speciality projects (71 complete). Furthermore, 19 of the 22 new AIIMS have commenced undergraduate courses.
“These efforts demonstrate the Centre’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and access to quality medical education across India,” Minister Patel affirmed. However, the persistent vacancy rates indicate that further analysis and intervention are needed to ensure that the expanded capacity translates into a fully staffed and effective medical workforce.
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