Uttarakhand adds 3 medical, 3 nursing colleges under CM Dhami; MBBS seats near 1,700
Synopsis
Uttarakhand has quietly built one of India's faster-growing state medical education networks — three new government medical colleges, nearly 1,700 MBBS seats, and a nursing pipeline that's already placing graduates in Japan and Germany. With ₹225 crore freshly allocated and Rudrapur's college awaiting approval, CM Dhami is betting that expanding supply of doctors and nurses is the fastest route to closing the state's rural healthcare gap.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand now has 6 operational government medical colleges in Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Haridwar — three added under CM Pushkar Singh Dhami .
Total MBBS capacity stands at approximately 1,700 seats , combining government, private, and AIIMS Rishikesh intake.
The Rudrapur medical college, once approved for 100 MBBS seats , will raise government capacity to 775 seats .
Total nursing education capacity is 11,495 seats ; 60 candidates placed in Japan (2023) and 13 in Germany (2025) through foreign language training.
The state has allocated ₹225 crore in supplementary budget funds — ₹100 crore for Atal Ayushman Yojana , ₹125 crore for the Golden Card scheme , and ₹160 crore for infrastructure.
Uttarakhand has significantly expanded its medical and nursing education landscape over the past five years under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, with three new government medical colleges and three government nursing colleges becoming operational, strengthening both healthcare access and career pathways for the state's youth.
Medical College Expansion at a Glance
The state now has six operational government medical colleges, located in Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Haridwar. The colleges in Almora, Pithoragarh, and Haridwar were inaugurated during the Dhami government's tenure.
Together, these six institutions offer 675 MBBS seats. The medical college in Rudrapur has completed construction and, once it receives regulatory approval for 100 MBBS seats, will raise government-sector capacity to 775 seats. When combined with 900 seats across four private medical colleges and 125 seats at AIIMS Rishikesh, the state's total MBBS capacity stands at approximately 1,700 seats.
Nursing Education and International Placements
Since July 2021, three government nursing colleges have been established, adding 321 seats across BSc Nursing and MSc Nursing programmes. Uttarakhand now holds 879 seats in government nursing institutions and 10,616 seats in private institutions, bringing total nursing education capacity to 11,495 seats.
Notably, the state has linked nursing education to global employment through foreign language training. In 2023, 60 candidates from two batches secured jobs in Japan, while 13 candidates received employment offers in Germany in 2025. This international pipeline underscores a deliberate policy shift to match healthcare training with overseas demand.
Budget Allocation and Healthcare Schemes
To bolster healthcare services and medical infrastructure, the state government has allocated an additional ₹225 crore through the supplementary budget. Of this, ₹100 crore has been earmarked for the Atal Ayushman Yojana, which provides cashless medical treatment of up to ₹5 lakh to eligible beneficiaries. A further ₹125 crore has been directed to the Golden Card scheme, which extends cashless healthcare facilities to state government employees.
An additional ₹160 crore has been set aside for infrastructure development, covering ongoing works at the Pithoragarh and Rudrapur medical colleges and state nursing institutions.
What the Government Said
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the government's priority is to ensure accessible healthcare facilities across Uttarakhand while maximising medical education opportunities for local youth. He noted that the opening of six new medical and nursing institutions, alongside investments in infrastructure and cashless treatment schemes, reflects the administration's commitment to a stronger, more inclusive healthcare system.
With the Rudrapur medical college awaiting seat approval and international nursing placements gaining traction, Uttarakhand's healthcare education push is expected to deepen further in the coming years.
Point of View
But the harder question is distribution: six government medical colleges concentrated largely in urban or semi-urban centres may not translate into doctors choosing to serve the state's remote hill districts. The international nursing placement programme is an encouraging outlier — linking training to real employment outcomes rather than just seat count. The ₹160 crore infrastructure allocation for Pithoragarh and Rudrapur is worth watching; if those colleges reach full capacity and retain graduates in the state, the expansion will have done what most such schemes do not.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many government medical colleges does Uttarakhand have now?
Uttarakhand currently has six operational government medical colleges, located in Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Haridwar. Three of these — in Almora, Pithoragarh, and Haridwar — were established during Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's tenure.
What is the total MBBS seat capacity in Uttarakhand?
The state's total MBBS capacity stands at approximately 1,700 seats, combining 675 seats across six government medical colleges, 900 seats in four private colleges, and 125 seats at AIIMS Rishikesh. This will rise to around 1,800 once the Rudrapur college receives approval for 100 more seats.
What is the Atal Ayushman Yojana in Uttarakhand?
The Atal Ayushman Yojana is a state government scheme that provides cashless medical treatment of up to ₹5 lakh to eligible beneficiaries. The government has allocated ₹100 crore for the scheme through the supplementary budget.
How is Uttarakhand linking nursing education with overseas employment?
The state offers foreign language training alongside nursing courses to prepare graduates for international job markets. In 2023, 60 candidates secured employment in Japan, and in 2025, 13 candidates received offers in Germany.
How much has Uttarakhand allocated for healthcare in the supplementary budget?
The state government has allocated ₹225 crore through the supplementary budget — ₹100 crore for the Atal Ayushman Yojana, ₹125 crore for the Golden Card cashless healthcare scheme for state employees, and ₹160 crore for medical education infrastructure including work at Pithoragarh and Rudrapur colleges.
