New Delhi, July 16: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has notified a huge relief for the lakhs of aspirants for the NEET UG entrance test as it has officially announced the MBBS seat matrix for the academic year 2026-27, which now adds the total number of MBBS seats in the country to 1,36,939. This latest notification has brought an increased allocation of 9,911 MBBS seats from last academic year.
The latest notification was issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC and as per the notification, the MBBS seat matrix comprises all approved MBBS seats in government and private medical colleges in the country except for the Institutes of National Importance (INIs), AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER and other centrally governed institutes.
Total MBBS Seats Reach an All-Time High
With the inclusion of nearly 10,000 seats, India currently has 1,36,939 MBBS seats in 823 medical colleges. Out of these, there are 63,296 seats in government medical colleges, whereas there are 73,643 seats in private medical colleges. This increase will definitely give more options to the aspirants who will appear in NEET UG counselling 2026.
Moreover, 25 medical colleges have been approved by the NMC for the year 2026-27. Out of these, there are seven government medical colleges, and eighteen are in the private sector. The number of seats increased to 2,400, out of which 400 are from the government sector and 2,000 from the private sector.
Private Colleges Register the Highest Growth
One of the key highlights about this year’s seat matrix is that there has been a significant jump in the number of seats in private medical colleges. While government medical colleges have increased their number of seats by about 1,700, private colleges have increased it by over 6,100, demonstrating the increasing importance of private investment in the field of medicine.
Karnataka Tops the List
The state of Karnataka remains the leader in the country when it comes to the number of MBBS seats, which stands at 15,395 and is the largest number in the entire nation. The states of Uttar Pradesh (14,000 seats), Tamil Nadu (13,999 seats), Maharashtra (13,099 seats) and Telangana (10,250 seats) also follow closely behind.
What It Means for NEET UG 2026 Aspirants
The announcement of the seat matrix is an important step for candidates who are gearing up for the counselling of NEET UG 2026. The seat matrix is the starting point for the allocation of seats during both All India Quota and State Quota counselling sessions.
As per educational experts, the increase in seats will boost the chances of admission for candidates, especially those who have scored moderately well in the NEET exam. However, it is expected that the competition will be very tough for top-notch government medical colleges.
NMC Issues Compliance Directions
National Medical Commission has mandated that all medical colleges and counseling authorities must comply strictly with the approved seat matrix. Admission of any students beyond the sanctioned intake would amount to a breach of National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and may even lead to regulatory proceedings against the college.
In addition, National Medical Commission has mandated that all private medical colleges who have been sanctioned for new colleges/seats should furnish the Electronic Bank Guarantee (E-Bank Guarantee).
Healthcare Infrastructure to Benefit
This expansion of the MBBS seats is in line with the goal of the Indian government to create a better healthcare system in India through the production of competent doctors. In the recent past, there has been an increasing trend in the number of medical colleges in India as well as the number of undergraduate medical seats in the country.
According to the experts, even though the expansion of the seats is good news, it will be equally important to maintain high standards in medical education, faculty, infrastructure, and clinical training.
A Positive Development for Medical Aspirants
The notice regarding 1.37 lakh MBBS seats has been considered as one of the major milestones for the Indian medical education industry. The development will not only enhance the career prospects of the budding doctors but also help the country in achieving its vision of better healthcare through an enhanced and skilled medical profession.
For lakhs of NEET UG aspirants waiting for counseling, this latest development has provided new hope for getting admission into an MBBS course for the 2026-27 session.
