NMC adds 9,783 PG medical seats, total now 68,305 for 2026-27
By TUF News Desk · Published 7 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
India will have 68,305 postgraduate medical seats in 2026-27. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has added 9,783 seats to the national pool, taking the total up from 58,522, a rise of about 17 percent in a single year.
The NMC published the updated seat matrix on November 6, 2026, with a public notice. The seats cover MD and MS courses in broad specialities such as general medicine, surgery and paediatrics. Dr M K Ramesh, president of the NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board, shared the figures with the Times of India.
Where the new seats are
Government medical colleges get the largest share of the increase. Of the 9,783 new seats, 4,373 are in government colleges, 4,148 in private colleges and 1,262 in deemed universities.
Across the full pool, government institutions hold about half of all postgraduate seats. Careers360, which went through the updated matrix, counted 34,473 seats in government institutions, 24,732 in private institutions and 9,100 in deemed universities.
The seats are spread unevenly across states. According to the Times of India, Karnataka has the most approved seats at 8,998, followed by Maharashtra with 7,682, Uttar Pradesh with 6,983, Tamil Nadu with 6,819 and Telangana with 4,417. Together, these five states hold 34,899 seats, about 51 percent of the national total.
The new seats are not open yet
A seat in the matrix does not mean a college can fill it straight away. Under the NMC notice, colleges approved for new courses or extra seats must submit an electronic bank guarantee within seven days. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board will issue the formal permission letter only after it receives and verifies the guarantee.
Counselling authorities must work from the latest notified matrix and not admit students beyond the approved seats. Colleges must also report any error or missing course in their entries at once. The notice adds that the matrix can still change after later decisions by the board, an appeal authority or another competent authority, and that a revised version on the official NMC website replaces the earlier one where it differs.
What it means for NEET PG counselling
For doctors who cleared NEET PG 2026, the extra seats widen the choice once they enter the counselling pool. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) received the new seat matrix from the NMC on November 3, and it has pushed the NEET PG 2026 Round 2 registration to November 7 onwards while institutes verify the new entries.
The reports so far do not say which round will first include the new seats, or how many have permission letters already. Candidates should wait for the seat matrix MCC publishes before each round rather than plan around the national total alone.
Those registering should keep their documents ready for verification. The admission documents checklist covers the scorecard, MBBS degree, internship certificate and registration papers that colleges ask for. Candidates weighing a seat in this round against an upgrade later can work through how to choose a university in India before they lock their choices. The revised Round 2 schedule and seat matrix will appear on the official MCC PG counselling portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many PG medical seats are there in India for 2026-27?
68,305 broad-speciality postgraduate seats, according to the National Medical Commission’s updated seat matrix of November 6, 2026. That is up from 58,522 last year.
How many PG medical seats were added this year?
9,783 seats were added, a rise of about 17 percent. Government colleges got 4,373 of them, private colleges 4,148 and deemed universities 1,262.
Will the new seats be available in NEET PG 2026 Round 2 counselling?
That is not confirmed yet. The reports so far do not say which round will first include the new seats, so candidates should check the MCC seat matrix published before each round.
What must colleges do before the new seats can be filled?
Colleges approved for new courses or extra seats must submit an electronic bank guarantee within seven days of the NMC notice. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board will issue the permission letter only after it verifies the guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
How many PG medical seats are there in India for 2026-27?
68,305 broad-speciality postgraduate seats, according to the National Medical Commission's updated seat matrix of November 6, 2026. That is up from 58,522 last year.
How many PG medical seats were added this year?
9,783 seats were added, a rise of about 17 percent. Government colleges got 4,373 of them, private colleges 4,148 and deemed universities 1,262.
Will the new seats be available in NEET PG 2026 Round 2 counselling?
That is not confirmed yet. The reports so far do not say which round will first include the new seats, so candidates should check the MCC seat matrix published before each round.
What must colleges do before the new seats can be filled?
Colleges approved for new courses or extra seats must submit an electronic bank guarantee within seven days of the NMC notice. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board will issue the permission letter only after it verifies the guarantee.
Sources: The Times of India, ETHealthworld, Careers360