Dehradun: Uttarakhand has witnessed significant expansion in medical and nursing education over the past five years, with three new government medical colleges and three nursing colleges established during Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami‘s tenure.
The expansion has increased opportunities for students seeking medical and nursing education within the state. According to the available figures, Uttarakhand now has approximately 1,700 MBBS seats, including those in government and private medical colleges and AIIMS Rishikesh. The total number of nursing seats across government and private institutions has reached 11,495.
Alongside expanding medical education, the state government has also made additional financial provisions for healthcare schemes and infrastructure development to strengthen healthcare services across Uttarakhand.
Three New Government Medical Colleges Expand MBBS Seats
Uttarakhand currently has six operational government medical colleges located in Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar, Almora, Pithoragarh and Haridwar.
The medical colleges in Almora, Pithoragarh and Haridwar were established during the Dhami government’s tenure.
These six government medical colleges collectively offer 675 MBBS seats. In addition, the construction of a new medical college in Rudrapur has been completed. Once it receives permission for 100 MBBS seats, the total number of MBBS seats in government medical colleges will increase to 775.
Apart from government institutions, four private medical colleges in the state offer a combined 900 MBBS seats. AIIMS Rishikesh has another 125 seats.
With these institutions included, the total MBBS capacity in Uttarakhand stands at approximately 1,700 seats.
Nursing Education Expands with Three New Government Colleges
The state has also strengthened its nursing education infrastructure since July 2021 by establishing three new government nursing colleges.
Their introduction has added 321 seats across various nursing programmes, including Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSc Nursing).
Currently, government nursing institutions in Uttarakhand offer 879 seats, while private institutions account for 10,616 seats.
This brings the combined nursing education capacity across government and private institutions to 11,495 seats.
The expansion is expected to provide more opportunities to students pursuing professional nursing courses and help develop a skilled workforce for the healthcare sector.
Uttarakhand Nursing Students Getting Employment Opportunities Abroad
The state government is also focusing on connecting nursing education with employment opportunities, including jobs in foreign countries.
As part of this initiative, nursing students and trained candidates are being provided foreign language training to prepare them for overseas employment.
Under the programme, a total of 60 candidates from two batches secured employment opportunities in Japan in 2023. In 2025, another 13 candidates obtained jobs in Germany.
The initiative is opening international employment opportunities for nursing-trained youth from Uttarakhand while helping them access career options beyond the state.
₹225 Crore Additional Budget for Atal Ayushman and Golden Card Schemes
To strengthen healthcare services and ensure access to treatment, the Uttarakhand government has made an additional provision of ₹225 crore in the supplementary budget for two major healthcare schemes.
The allocation includes:
- Atal Ayushman Yojana: An additional ₹100 crore has been provided.
- Golden Card Scheme: An additional ₹125 crore has been allocated.
Under the Atal Ayushman Yojana, eligible beneficiaries receive cashless treatment facilities worth up to ₹5 lakh.
The Golden Card Scheme provides cashless medical treatment facilities to state government employees.
The additional financial allocation is aimed at supporting the implementation of these schemes and strengthening access to healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
₹160 Crore Provision for Medical College and Nursing Infrastructure
Apart from healthcare schemes, the government has made a provision of approximately ₹160 crore to strengthen infrastructure related to medical education.
The funds will be utilised for development works at Pithoragarh and Rudrapur medical colleges, along with infrastructure-related projects at nursing colleges.
The investment is expected to improve educational facilities and strengthen the infrastructure required for medical and nursing training.
The government aims to increase the availability of trained healthcare professionals by expanding educational institutions and improving their facilities.
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Highlights Healthcare and Medical Education Expansion
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government’s objective is to ensure better healthcare facilities in every region of Uttarakhand while creating more opportunities for young people in medical education.
He highlighted the establishment of three new medical colleges and three nursing colleges over the past five years as important steps towards achieving this objective.
Dhami also said that the Atal Ayushman and Golden Card schemes are providing cashless treatment facilities to eligible beneficiaries.
He added that the government is simultaneously focusing on strengthening the infrastructure of medical institutions to improve healthcare services and educational opportunities across the state.
The expansion of medical and nursing colleges, additional budgetary support for healthcare schemes and investment in institutional infrastructure reflect the state’s efforts to strengthen both medical education and healthcare delivery in Uttarakhand.
