HYDERABAD: Even as Telangana has witnessed a significant expansion in MBBS seats for the 2026-27 academic year following approvals from the National Medical Commission (NMC), doctors and medical education experts have raised concerns over inadequate infrastructure, faculty shortages, limited clinical exposure, insufficient postgraduate seats and lack of employment opportunities for the growing number of medical graduates.
The NMC has approved an increase of 810 MBBS seats in Telangana for the 2026-27 academic year, taking the total number of seats in the State to 10,250.
Dr Karthik Nagula, State President of the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA), said, “Some of the newly established colleges are operating with minimal facilities. In some places, there is no proper campus, hostel, mess, library or other essential infrastructure for students. Students are being accommodated outside campuses in private facilities. Increasing seats without developing the required infrastructure will ultimately affect the quality of medical education.”
Overall, MBBS seats in Telangana have increased by around 8 per cent over the past year. Government medical colleges have recorded a 13 per cent rise, while private colleges have seen a 3 per cent increase. Experts said the higher growth in government institutions was encouraging, as it would provide greater opportunities for students from economically weaker sections.
Dr Kiran Madhala, Secretary General of the Telangana Teaching Government Doctors Association, said the State must now focus on strengthening the ecosystem supporting medical education. “Thousands of MBBS graduates compete for a limited number of postgraduate seats every year. Unless PG training capacity is expanded simultaneously, a large number of graduates could face difficulties in accessing specialist training,” he said.
Senior public health experts also stressed the need to create more government doctor posts and specialist positions to absorb the increasing number of medical graduates.
They warned that unless employment opportunities, residency programmes and healthcare infrastructure expand alongside MBBS seats, the increase in intake may not fully translate into improved public healthcare delivery.