Vijayawada: 5 new medical colleges to start functioning from 2023-24

Vijayawada: Dr NTR University of Health Sciences on Tuesday gave permission for the conduct of academic activities from the next academic year 2023-24 in five new medical colleges at Eluru, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Nandyal and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

With this, academic activities will be started with 150 MBBS seats in each college. Principals and superintendents have already been appointed for the respective colleges. State Director of Medical Education Dr Raghavendra Rao said that the district hospitals were being converted into teaching hospitals and these colleges are set to apply for the National Medical Commission (NMC) affiliation.

The AP Cabinet had recently given approval for 3,530 posts for five new medical colleges in Nandyal, Machilipatnam, Eluru, Rajamahendravaram and Vizianagaram which are all set to start from next academic year (2023-24). As per NMC norms, 222 posts are allotted to each medical college and 484 posts to the affiliated teaching hospital. Accordingly, the Cabinet has decided on 3,530 posts at the rate of 706 posts for each medical college.

The government has planned 16 new medical colleges, one for each parliamentary constituency. As part of this, five new medical colleges will be functional next year and 750 MBBS seats will be made available in addition to the existing seats. The 16 new colleges are coming up at Piduguralla, Machilipatnam, Anakapalle, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Palakollu, Amalapuram, Markapuram, Penukonda, Madanapally, Adoni, Nandyal, Pulivendula, Paderu, Eluru and Bapatla.