Medical Education – Andhra Pradesh has received a major boost in undergraduate medical education with the approval of additional MBBS seats for the 2026–27 academic session. The latest decision is expected to improve admission opportunities for aspiring doctors while strengthening the state’s public medical education infrastructure.

Andhra Pradesh Gets Fresh NMC Approval

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted Letters of Permission (LoP) for 175 new MBBS seats across two government medical colleges. The approvals include a fresh intake of 100 students at the newly established Government Medical College in Piduguralla and an increase of 75 seats at Government Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada.

With these latest approvals, Andhra Pradesh has added a total of 275 government MBBS seats during the current academic year. Earlier, the NMC had approved an increase of 75 seats at Government Medical College, Kadapa, and another 25 seats at ACSR Government Medical College in Nellore.

Government Efforts Helped Secure Approvals

Officials have described the latest approvals as the outcome of sustained coordination between the state government, the Union Health Ministry, and the National Medical Commission. Health Minister Y. Satya Kumar Yadav reportedly held several meetings in New Delhi to address pending issues and ensure inspections were completed without delay.

The Piduguralla medical college had initially faced technical hurdles that delayed regulatory clearance. To resolve these concerns, the Health Department accelerated recruitment of teaching faculty, completed essential infrastructure works, and installed required medical equipment. These improvements enabled the institution to meet regulatory standards in time for admissions during the current academic cycle.

Medical Education Capacity Continues to Grow

The latest approvals have further expanded Andhra Pradesh’s medical education capacity under the present coalition government. According to official figures, the state has added a cumulative 1,005 MBBS seats over the last three academic years.

Of these, 455 seats have been introduced in government medical colleges, while private medical institutions have contributed another 550 seats during the same period. The steady expansion reflects the state’s continued focus on increasing access to medical education and addressing future healthcare workforce requirements.

Government colleges witnessed an addition of 150 seats during the 2024–25 academic year, followed by 30 seats in 2025–26. The current 2026–27 session has recorded the largest annual increase so far with 275 new government seats.

Private Medical Colleges Also Expanded Intake

Private medical institutions have also played an important role in increasing the state’s overall MBBS capacity. During the 2024–25 academic session, KIMS Amalapuram added 50 seats, VIMS Kurnool expanded by 100 seats, NRI Medical College in Visakhapatnam received approval for 100 additional seats, and Nimra Medical College in Vijayawada increased its intake by 50 seats.

The expansion continued in the following academic year when SRMC Nandyal added another 100 seats. In addition, the newly established Anna Gouri Medical College at Puttur began admissions with an initial intake of 100 MBBS students.

Parents’ Association Seeks Further Expansion

The Andhra Pradesh NEET Aspirants and Medicos Parents Association welcomed the latest approvals and thanked the state government for increasing the number of government medical seats. Representatives of the association said the additional intake would provide significant relief to thousands of students and families preparing for NEET admissions across the state.

The association also urged the government to make use of the revised NMC guidelines to secure up to 1,000 more MBBS seats in the future. It stated that increasing the number of government and Convenor Quota seats would create greater opportunities for deserving medical aspirants while improving access to affordable medical education.