Guwahati, Sept 1: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the state would have as many as 21 medical colleges by the year 2026-2027.
“While there are 12 medical colleges in Assam today, the government has undertaken the construction of nine more medical colleges. By 2026-27, Assam will have 21 medical colleges,” Sarma said while attending the opening ceremony of the first academic session of Nagaon Medical College.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister informed that the construction of Tinsukia Medical College would be completed by this year while the medical colleges at Charaideo and Biswanath would be dedicated to the service of the people by next year.
He further said that four more medical colleges would be completed by 2026-27 and that the construction of two other medical colleges at Sivasagar and Karimganj districts would be undertaken this year. “Steps will be taken to build another medical college in Goalpara next year,” Sarma said.
The number of MBBS seats in the state too has more than doubled in less than a decade.
“In 2014, the number of MBBS seats in Assam was 726, whereas now, with the increase in the number of medical colleges, there are 1,500 MBBS seats. The number of seats in postgraduate courses has also increased from 395 to 722,” he said, adding that the number of seats will be increased to 1,000 within the next two to three years.