Bengaluru: Amid nationwide concerns over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Karnataka has received a major boost in medical education with the sanctioning of 1,122 additional government medical seats, Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil announced on Saturday, May 16.
Addressing a press conference at Vikas Soudha in Bengaluru, the minister said the increase in medical seats would create greater opportunities for students aspiring to pursue careers in the medical field.
“Karnataka has once again emerged as a leader in medical education. Receiving more than 1,000 additional medical seats in a single phase is a record achievement for any state,” he stated.
According to the minister, the newly sanctioned seats will be distributed among medical colleges located in districts including Koppal, Gadag, Chamarajanagar, Karwar and Kaveri region institutions. The move is expected to strengthen healthcare education infrastructure and improve access to medical studies across the state.
Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil said the final approval for the additional seats was granted on May 15 by the Union government and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He added that Karnataka would also receive financial assistance amounting to Rs 1,090 crore for expansion and development of medical education facilities.
Of the total amount, Rs 495 crore has been allocated for undergraduate medical seats, while Rs 541 crore has been earmarked for postgraduate medical education.
The minister urged students to make full use of the expanded opportunities available in Karnataka’s medical sector. At present, the state has 72 medical colleges, including private and deemed universities. Karnataka currently offers 13,945 undergraduate medical seats and 7,727 postgraduate seats, making it one of the leading states in medical education infrastructure in the country.
