Punjab to Establish Seven New Medical Colleges, Adding 600 MBBS Seats by 2028

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh announced the establishment of seven new medical colleges across the state, including two government colleges, two under public-private partnerships, and three through private and minority organizations. Construction for the Shaheed Udham Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences in Hoshiarpur will start on March 20, 2024, with a completion target of March 2028. The project, approved at around Rs 275 crore, includes a 300-bed hospital and 100 MBBS seats. Additional colleges will be built in Kapurthala, Sangrur, SBS Nagar, Lehragaga, Malerkotla, and near Ludhiana, adding approximately 600 MBBS seats to Punjab’s existing capacity. The state government reduced the Hoshiarpur project cost from Rs 550 crore to Rs 275 crore, saving public funds. Existing medical colleges in Patiala, Amritsar, and Faridkot are also being upgraded to offer super-specialty services.