NMC Boosts PG Medical Seats to 58,400 for 2025-26; Medical Colleges Directed to Verify Revised Matrix by Feb 20
While medical graduates across various states are navigating the final hours of "Free Exit" deadlines and option registration windows, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has delivered a significant update that will reshape the 2025-26 admission cycle. The revision of the seat matrix is not just a statistical change; it represents a tangible increase in the specialized healthcare workforce for the coming years. For regular updates on vacancy shifts and NMC mandates, follow Only Education News.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has officially updated the seat matrix for Postgraduate (Broad Specialty) medical courses for the academic year 2025-26. In a fresh public notice issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), the commission has announced that the total number of PG medical seats has now reached 58,400. This reflects an addition of 8,424 newly granted seats compared to the previous academic session, which had 49,976 seats.
For regular updates follow Only Education News as we track the college-wise verification reports and counseling implications.
Key Statistics: The 2025-26 PG Surge
The current update incorporates all approvals granted on or before January 30, 2026. The increase is widespread across clinical and non-clinical branches.
| Category | AY 2024-25 Seats | Additional Seats (2025-26) | Total PG Seats |
| National Total | 49,976 | 8,424 | 58,400 |
Top Branch Additions:
- MD Anaesthesiology: 718 additional seats.
- MD General Medicine: 668 additional seats.
- MS Orthopaedics: 610 additional seats.
- MS General Surgery: 605 additional seats.
- MD Radio Diagnosis: 558 additional seats.
State-wise Leaders in Seat Expansion
The expansion is led by several key states, with Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh seeing the most significant jumps in their specialized training capacity.
- Karnataka: Leads with 1,328 additional seats (Total: 7,725).
- Uttar Pradesh: Adds 1,034 seats (Total: 5,681).
- Tamil Nadu: Gains 905 seats (Total: 5,561).
- Gujarat: Adds 657 seats (Total: 3,684).
- Maharashtra: Gains 653 seats (Total: 6,549).
NMC Directive to Medical Colleges
The NMC has instructed all medical institutions and colleges across the country to verify and confirm the number of seats displayed against their respective names in the revised list.
- Discrepancy Reporting: Colleges have 15 days (until approximately February 20, 2026) to report any errors to MARB along with supporting documents.
- Impact on Admissions: Failure to report discrepancies within this window may prevent the update of student details on the NMC Admission Portal, potentially causing hurdles during the final admission formalities.
What this Means for Aspirants
For candidates currently participating in Round 3 or Mop-up rounds of NEET PG counseling, this updated matrix provides a clearer picture of the available opportunities. The addition of hundreds of seats in high-demand branches like Dermatology (432 seats) and Pediatrics (645 seats) may slightly lower the cut-off percentiles in certain states, giving hope to those on the fringe.
As the verification process concludes, these seats will be integrated into the final counseling rounds. For a detailed breakdown of the seat matrix for your specific state or preferred branch, follow Only Education News.