Ladakh's first medical college gets Centre's nod: 103 posts cleared for 2027-28 start
By TUF News Desk · Published 21 October 2026 · 4 min read
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Ladakh will soon have a government medical college of its own. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the start of hiring for the first Government Medical College in Leh, clearing the way for it to open in the 2027-28 academic year. The decision was announced on October 21 by the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat.
The approval comes with a one-time relaxation that unblocks the project. Until now, recruitment of faculty and support staff could begin only after nearly 80 per cent of the college’s infrastructure was complete. That condition had stalled hiring for years. It will now be set aside, and the Ladakh administration can fill 103 sanctioned regular posts in phases, based on academic needs, while construction of the campus continues.
The relaxation was conveyed in a letter dated October 13 from Under Secretary Anurag Tiwari to the commissioner-cum-secretary of Ladakh’s Health and Medical Education Department. It applies to the proposed college at Stipuk Pharka in Leh. The posts must be filled on a regular basis under the approved recruitment rules.
Seven years in the making
The college was approved in 2019, but it has not moved beyond paper for long stretches. In March 2023, a parliamentary standing committee noted that no substantial progress had been made on its infrastructure and that the detailed project report was still under examination. The committee had asked officials to remove administrative bottlenecks, speed up construction, and consider starting academic activities at an existing hospital instead of waiting for the permanent campus.
That suggestion is now the plan. The UT administration has identified two newly constructed buildings to serve as the academic block and the students’ hostel. Clinical training for the first batch of MBBS students will take place at the 200-bed Sonam Norbu Memorial (SNM) Hospital in Leh, which has around 60 experienced doctors. Once construction is complete, the college will shift to its permanent facilities at Stipuk Pharka.
The push for the relaxation came from Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who wrote to Union Health Minister J P Nadda on July 13 seeking it. Saxena welcomed the Centre’s decision and thanked Nadda, saying it would let the administration complete staffing preparations in time for the proposed start of academic activities.
What it means for Ladakh’s students
Right now, aspiring doctors from Ladakh have to leave the Union Territory for medical education. For the 2026-27 academic year, Ladakh was allotted seven MBBS seats under the Central Pool, all at colleges outside the region. A functioning government medical college in Leh would change that, while also strengthening healthcare access across the region.
Two approvals still remain. The number of MBBS seats for the first batch has to be sanctioned, and the construction of the permanent campus has to reach the readiness the Department of Expenditure expects. Like other government medical colleges, the Leh college’s seats will be allotted through national NEET UG counselling, so students should watch the official MCC counselling portal for schedule updates.
Students preparing for medical admissions should also read the guide on choosing the right college in India and keep their admission documents ready, since counselling rounds move fast once the seat matrix is published.
Frequently asked questions
When will Ladakh’s first government medical college open?
It is scheduled to start functioning in the 2027-28 academic year, after the Union Health Ministry approved phased recruitment of 103 faculty and support posts.
Where will the first batch of MBBS students study?
In two newly constructed buildings that will serve as the academic block and students’ hostel, with clinical training at Leh’s 200-bed SNM Hospital. These interim arrangements will be used until the permanent campus at Stipuk Pharka is complete.
How will MBBS seats at the Leh college be allotted?
Through the national NEET UG counselling process, as with other government medical colleges. The number of seats for the first batch is still to be approved.
Who approved the hiring for the new college?
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda on July 13, 2026, seeking a one-time relaxation so that recruitment could begin while construction continued.
Frequently asked questions
When will Ladakh's first government medical college open?
It is scheduled to start functioning in the 2027-28 academic year, after the Union Health Ministry approved phased recruitment of 103 faculty and support posts.
Where will the first batch of MBBS students study?
In two newly constructed buildings for the academic block and hostel, with clinical training at Leh's 200-bed SNM Hospital, until the permanent campus at Stipuk Pharka is complete.
How will MBBS seats at the Leh college be allotted?
Like other government medical colleges, through the national NEET UG counselling process. The number of seats for the first batch is still to be approved.
Who approved the hiring for the new college?
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, after Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena wrote to Union Health Minister J P Nadda seeking a one-time relaxation of the recruitment rules.
Sources: The Times of India, The New Indian Express, Times Now