Medical Aspirants Get Major Relief As NMC Approves 1.37 Lakh MBBS Seats For 2026-27, Warns Colleges

India’s medical education sector is set for another expansion with the National Medical Commission (NMC) approving 1,36,939 MBBS seats for the 2026-27 academic session . The increase comes through the approval of new medical colleges and enhancement of intake capacity in existing institutions.

The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC released the latest MBBS seat matrix on Wednesday, excluding seats offered by Institutes of National Importance (INIs) . The approved number marks a rise from the 1,27,028 MBBS seats sanctioned for the previous academic session.

According to the regulator, the revised seat allocation reflects permissions granted for establishing new medical colleges and increasing the annual intake capacity of existing colleges across the country.

However, the NMC has issued a strict warning to medical institutions and admission authorities, making it clear that the newly released seat matrix is provisional and may undergo changes depending on pending appeals or decisions by competent authorities.

The commission directed central and state counselling authorities to conduct admissions strictly according to the approved seat matrix. Any mismatch or discrepancy must immediately be reported to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) .

The NMC also warned medical colleges against admitting students beyond their sanctioned capacity. Colleges found enrolling students above the approved limit could face regulatory and penal action under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 .

“Admissions beyond the permitted intake shall be treated as a violation of the provisions of the NMC Act, 2019, and appropriate regulatory action shall be initiated,” the regulator stated.

NMC Secretary Dr Raghav Langer reiterated that all admissions for the 2026-27 academic year must follow the officially approved seat matrix.

Meanwhile, private medical colleges that received approval for setting up new institutions or increasing MBBS seats have been asked to submit the required electronic bank guarantee within seven days . The NMC said the Letter of Permission (LoP) would be issued after compliance with the requirement.

The move is expected to provide more opportunities for medical aspirants while ensuring stricter monitoring of admission practices across medical colleges.