The Bihar government on July 16 admitted that number of medical colleges and MBBS seats in the state was less in comparison to some other states but the government was taking steps regularly to improve the scenario.

Replying to calling attention notice of CPI member Kedar Nath Pandey in the state legislative council, state health minister said nine medical colleges were in the government sector and three others in private sector in the state in 2018. He said number of MBBS seats in government medical colleges was 950 and 350 seats in private medical colleges so the total number of MBBS seats in the state was 1300.

The minister said that the Centre had given approval for opening two medical colleges in Madhubani and Sahasa districts in the private sector in 2019 with the enrollment capacity of 150 and 100 MBBS seats respectively. The number of total medical colleges in the state had risen to 14 in 2019.