The approval is expected to provide greater admission opportunities for thousands of candidates who will participate in the NEET UG 2026 counselling process for admission to MBBS programmes across the country.
The increase in seat intake is likely to improve the availability of government medical seats and enhance access to quality medical education in these states.
275 Additional MBBS Seats Approved
According to available information, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), functioning under the National Medical Commission (NMC) in accordance with the provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, has granted approval for the following additional MBBS seats for the 2026-27 academic year.
State-wise Distribution of Newly Approved MBBS Seats
| Medical College | Additional MBBS Seats Approved |
|---|---|
| Government Medical College, Piduguralla (Andhra Pradesh) | 100 |
| Siddhartha Government Medical College, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) | 75 |
| Government Medical College, Goa | 50 |
| Government Medical College, Jammu | 50 |
| Total Additional MBBS Seats | 275 |
The newly sanctioned seats will become part of the admission process for the upcoming academic session, subject to the applicable counselling procedures.
Major Relief for NEET UG 2026 Aspirants
The approval of these additional MBBS seats comes as welcome news for candidates awaiting the declaration of the NEET UG 2026 results and the commencement of the counselling process.
Every increase in the number of government medical seats improves the chances of deserving candidates securing admission to MBBS programmes through the national counselling process. The latest addition is expected to ease competition to some extent while strengthening medical education infrastructure in the concerned states.
Approval Granted by MARB Under NMC Act
As per sources, the approval for the enhanced intake has been issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) under the framework of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
The MARB is responsible for assessing medical colleges and granting permissions related to the establishment of new medical institutions, expansion of existing colleges, and enhancement of undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats after evaluating compliance with the prescribed norms and standards.
When Will NEET UG 2026 Counselling Begin?
The NEET UG 2026 counselling process is expected to commence soon after the declaration of the examination results.
As per the current schedule, the counselling process is likely to begin during the first week of August 2026.
Admissions to MBBS seats will be conducted through:
- Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for All India Quota (AIQ), Central Universities, Deemed Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER and other participating institutions.
- State counselling authorities for admission under the respective State Quota seats.
Candidates are advised to regularly monitor the official counselling notifications and prepare the necessary documents in advance to participate in the admission process without any delay.
The addition of 275 new government MBBS seats is expected to further strengthen the medical education ecosystem and provide more opportunities to aspiring doctors seeking admission in the 2026-27 academic session.