India’s Medical Seat Boom Continues

India’s Medical Seat Boom Continues: NMC Releases Updated MBBS Seat Matrix, Crossing 1.26 Lakh Seats

In a massive boost for medical aspirants across the country, the National Medical Commission (NMC), through its Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), has released the newly updated MBBS seat matrix for the academic year 2025-26. The revised data confirms a continued and significant expansion in the country’s medical education capacity, providing greater opportunities for students who qualified in the NEET exam.

According to the updated figures, India now boasts a total of 1,26,725 MBBS seats available across 813 medical colleges for the 2025-26 session. This represents a substantial increase from the 1,17,750 seats granted permission in the previous academic year (2024-25). The updated matrix includes an additional 125 seats and one more college compared to the previously reported preliminary data, confirming that 9,200 new MBBS seats have been sanctioned or approved this year alone to meet the growing demand for undergraduate medical education.

The increase in seats is not uniform, with several states recording impressive growth that will significantly impact cutoffs and admission competition in the upcoming counselling rounds. States showing the most notable rise in seat numbers include: Karnataka, which jumped from 12,395 to 13,644 seats (an increase of 1,249); Maharashtra, which now has 12,674 seats (up by 829); Rajasthan, with a total of 7,330 seats (an increase of 825); and Uttar Pradesh, which has added 800 seats, bringing its total to 13,275. Other states with significant additions include Kerala (up by 549), Haryana (up by 525), and Bihar (up by 400). Aspirants from these regions can anticipate a marginal easing of competition, making the securing of a coveted seat slightly more accessible.

However, a small number of seats were also reduced in a few regions, such as Delhi, which saw a decrease from 1,497 to 1,396. This underscores the fluid nature of seat approval, which is based on the constant assessment and renewal of permissions granted by the NMC to individual medical colleges.

For aspiring doctors, this large-scale expansion means one thing: an increased probability of securing a government or private college seat based on their NEET rank. Students participating in the All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota counselling processes must rely on this final, updated seat matrix released by the NMC’s MARB to accurately fill their college and course preferences. This document serves as the foundation for the upcoming seat allocation. Aspirants are urged to download the official PDF from the NMC or the respective state counselling authority websites for their reference during the choice-filling window.

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