Raja Syed Rather
Jammu and Kashmir is set to boost its medical education capacity this year, with the addition of 450 MBBS seats and 333 postgraduate (PG) seats across the region. However, the ambitious expansion plan faces hurdles that could delay its implementation, particularly in terms of infrastructure development and faculty recruitment.
In line with directives from the J&K Chief Secretary issued last December, most medical colleges in the region have applied for an additional 50 MBBS seats each. Despite the progress, administrators warn that a severe shortage of qualified faculty members could derail the approval process from the National Medical Commission (NMC), which enforces stringent staff-to-student ratios for medical institutions.
Sources informed that for every 100 MBBS seats, the NMC mandates one professor and a sufficient number of assistant professors for each department. This means that a medical college with 150 MBBS seats would require dozens of additional specialists. However, many institutions in J&K are grappling with chronic faculty shortages, with recruitment efforts at Government Medical Colleges (GMC) in Srinagar and Jammu lagging behind for several years. Concerns are growing that, if NMC inspections are carried out rigorously, these staffing deficits could lead to a reduction in the proposed number of seats.
The challenge is especially pronounced in newly established colleges in remote areas such as Handwara and Doda, which struggle to attract qualified faculty due to their location. Although 50 permanent and 51 temporary faculty positions have been filled recently, insiders contend that this is far from sufficient to meet the growing demand for medical education.
Furthermore, there remains a significant gap in staffing, with 275 medical officer positions and 582 non-gazetted staff vacancies—ranging from lab technicians to administrative personnel—referred to recruitment boards for hiring.
One of the most pressing concerns is the over-reliance on temporary hires and deputations, which compromises the stability and quality of the academic environment.
Experts argue that without a strong foundation of permanent appointments, the long-term sustainability of the medical education expansion is at risk.
Infrastructure also presents a major hurdle. According to NMC guidelines, each medical college with 150 MBBS seats must have at least 430 hospital beds, along with state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, and hostels. Older institutions such as GMC Srinagar and GMC Jammu are already operating at full capacity, raising doubts about their ability to accommodate the influx of additional students without substantial upgrades.
As the expansion plan moves forward, stakeholders are urging the government to prioritise faculty recruitment and infrastructure development to meet NMC standards and ensure the success of this critical investment in the region’s healthcare and medical education system.
