Union Minister Announces Plan to Increase Medical Seats in India

Union Coal, Mines, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced plans to make approximately 1.5 lakh medical seats available in India by 2029, a significant increase from the 51,000 seats available in 2014, according to various media reports.

Speaking at a national seminar organized by COMED-K CARE in collaboration with the Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI) at a private college, Joshi emphasized that this expansion aims to provide opportunities for economically disadvantaged children to pursue medical education, according to the reports.

Sharan Prakash Patil, the Medical Education Minister, addressed the challenges faced by engineering graduates in the state, noting that not all graduates secure jobs due to skill gaps. To address this issue, Patil outlined various plans to enhance students' skills and employability.

T.G. Sitaram, President of the All-India Technical Education Council (AICTE), highlighted transformative changes in technical education. The revision of textbooks, now available in 13 languages, and the demonstration of high standards in colleges under AICTE's jurisdiction were emphasized. Sitaram asserted that these colleges are on par with, if not superior to, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

The event featured the presence of M.R. Jayaram, President of Gokul Education Institutes and newly-elected President of EPSI, as well as T.G. Viswanathan, Chairman of VIT Institute of Education, among other distinguished personalities. The concerted efforts discussed at the seminar reflect a commitment to addressing challenges in education and promoting inclusive access to medical seats and technical education in India.