5200 MBBS seats have been increased for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in medical colleges by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the Minister of State Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the seats have been increased in the State Government Medical Colleges, State Government Aided Society run Medical Colleges, Municipal Corporation Medical Colleges and Medical Colleges set up on Private Public Mode (PPP).
The medical seats have been increased for the academic session of 2019-20 the minister stated in a written reply in the RajyaSabha. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan recently informed the LokSabha that there has been an increase of about 24,698 medical seats for the MBBS and MD (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) programme in medical colleges in more than two years. According to the minister there has been an increase of about 15,815 undergraduate seats and 2,153 postgraduate seats in the academic session of 2017-18 and 2019-20.
In January 2019, the central government announced a 10 percent reservation for the economically weaker sections of the general category in government jobs and higher education.
Given below is the number of EWS medical seats
State | Seats Increased |
Andhra Pradesh | 360 |
Assam | 174 |
Bihar | 190 |
Chhattisgarh | 120 |
Delhi | 115 |
Goa | 30 |
Gujarat | 700 |
Haryana | 110 |
Himachal Pradesh | 120 |
Jammu & Kashmir | 85 |
Jharkhand | 30 |
Kerala | 155 |
Madhya Pradesh | 270 |
Manipur | 25 |
Maharashtra | 970 |
Orissa | 100 |
Pondicherry | 30 |
Punjab | 100 |
Rajasthan | 450 |
Telangana | 190 |
Tripura | 25 |
Uttar Pradesh | 326 |
Uttarakhand | 75 |
West Bengal | 450 |
Total | 5200 |