India, Oct. 29 -- Jharkhand has nearly tripled its MBBS seat capacity over the past seven years, with the number of seats in government and private medical colleges rising from 580 in 2019-20 to 1,650 in 2026-27, according to figures shared by the state health department. The expansion is aimed at addressing the shortage of doctors and improving access to healthcare across the State.

Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the government expected a substantial improvement in the availability of doctors over the next two years as medical education infrastructure expands and training facilities improve.

He made the remarks after a nearly four-hour meeting with Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh on Wednesday to discuss...