Over 400 New PG Medical Seats Added in Maharashtra Following NMC Approval
The NMC has approved over 400 additional postgraduate medical seats in Maharashtra for the 2025-26 session. These seats, spanning clinical and non-clinical branches, will be included in the Round 2 counselling process. Discover the affected colleges and how this impacts the state seat matrix.
In a major boost for medical education in the state, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted approval for over 400 new postgraduate medical seats in Maharashtra for the academic year 2025-26. This expansion comes at a critical juncture as the NEET PG 2025 admission process enters its second round, providing a broader range of options for aspirants aiming for specialized medical careers.
The new seats have been distributed across various government, private, and deemed medical institutions. While a significant portion of these additions is concentrated in private and deemed universities, several clinical specializations have been introduced or expanded in state-run colleges, particularly in developing regions like Nandurbar.
Key Highlights of the Seat Expansion
The addition of these seats is expected to slightly ease the high cut-offs in several sought-after clinical branches. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC issued these approvals based on infrastructure and faculty evaluations conducted recently.
- Total New Seats: 400+ across Maharashtra.
- Inclusion Phase: These seats are being integrated into the Round 2 Seat Matrix for both All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota.
- Government Sector Gains: The Government Medical College (GMC), Nandurbar, received approval to start its postgraduate section with 15 seats in clinical courses for the first time.
- Private & Deemed Sector: Colleges such as Symbiosis Medical College for Women (Pune), KJ Somaiya (Mumbai), and Datta Meghe (Nagpur) saw a substantial hike in intake capacity.
Notable Institutional Changes:
- Symbiosis Medical College, Pune: Historically an undergraduate college for women, it has received approval for 61 PG seats and will now admit male students in its postgraduate section.
- New PG Departments: Colleges like Tasgaonkar College in Karjat have been permitted to commence postgraduate training for the first time.
- Clinical vs. Non-Clinical: While clinical seats (Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics) saw an increase primarily in private sectors, government additions included several non-clinical seats in departments like Pathology and Anatomy.
Impact on NEET PG 2025 Counselling
The sudden influx of seats has necessitated updates to the seat matrix maintained by the State CET Cell, Maharashtra, and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).
- Virtual Vacancies: The addition of new seats alongside 'virtual vacancies' (seats held by Round 1 candidates seeking an upgrade) has significantly altered the competitive landscape for Round 2.
- Fee Structure Variability: Aspirants are cautioned that while the seat count has risen, a large number of these are in private and deemed colleges where annual tuition fees can range from ₹30 lakh to ₹60 lakh.
- Choice Filling: Candidates already registered for Round 2 have been given the opportunity to update their preference lists to include these newly sanctioned seats.
Distribution of Newly Added Seats (Summary)
Category of Institution | Type of Seats Added | Key Colleges Involved |
Government Medical Colleges | Primarily Clinical (Nandurbar) & Non-Clinical | GMC Nandurbar, GMC Akola, GMC Jalgaon |
Private Medical Colleges | Broad Specialities (Surgery, Ortho, OBGY) | KJ Somaiya (Mumbai), SMBT (Nashik), Ulhas Patil (Jalgaon) |
Deemed Universities | High-demand Clinical Branches | Symbiosis (Pune), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Pune/Sangli), Datta Meghe (Nagpur) |
Conclusion: More Opportunities, Strategic Choices
The addition of over 400 seats is a welcome development for the medical fraternity in Maharashtra, addressing the long-standing demand for more specialization opportunities. However, for the candidates, this requires a more strategic approach to choice filling, balancing the desire for a specific branch with the financial implications of private seat fees. All allotted and aspiring candidates should download the updated seat matrix from the official CET Cell website (cetcell.mahacet.org) to ensure they are making informed decisions in the ongoing second round of admissions.
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