Uttar Pradesh is finally emerging as a hub for medical education and a significant increase in MBBS seats in government and private sector medical colleges in the northern state is a proof of this. Uttar Pradesh now ranks third after Karnataka and Maharashtra in the number of MBBS seats on offer.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Medical Education Department's data, till three years ago, there were 5,100 MBBS seats in the entire state, which have now increased to 7,150 seats as compared with Karnataka (8,845) and Maharashtra (7,270). The decision to establish AIIMS at Gorakhpur and Raebareli is also proving to be a milestone in terms of medical education and health facilities in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh's journey to become another important hub for medical education in the country through increased numbers of medical seats came about after the Chief Minister decided on the opening of new medical colleges. n 2016, there were only 12 medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh. But between 2017 and 2019, foundation stones of 28 new medical colleges was laid, of which seven have already started their academic sessions. Teaching and training will be started in eight other new colleges by next year even while construction of 13 new institutes will start soon.

A government spokesman said that preparations were on to open many more medical colleges in the private sector as well. Once new medical colleges begin functioning, the number of medical seats will go up to between 9,000 and 10,000, he added. The Uttar Pradesh government is also focusing on the role of paramedical staff in effective running of the medical eduction and healthcare systems, towards which it has made planned efforts to train nursing and paramedical professionals in the state.

About three years ago, there were about 500 institutes training nursing staff in the state, offering 21,000 seats to aspirants. Now, their numbers have increased to around 750, and the number of seats gone up to 36,500. Uttar Pradesh now boasts of 3,056 medical institutes, including those training paramedical staff.