AGMC to add 100 MBBS seats, raising intake to 250 from 2026-27 session

Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) will increase its MBBS intake from 150 seats to 250 seats for the 2026-27 academic session, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Monday.

The addition of 100 seats takes the college to the maximum sanctioned capacity for a medical college in India. The National Medical Commission (NMC), which regulates medical education in the country, sanctions seat strength after assessing a college's faculty, infrastructure and teaching hospital facilities.

Dr. Saha said the expansion was expected to strengthen Tripura's medical education framework and its healthcare delivery system, and to create more opportunities for students in the State who aspire to study medicine.

"The expansion of medical education is envisioned to contribute to a healthier and more prosperous future for Tripura," the Chief Minister said, adding that his government was committed to strengthening the State's healthcare services and educational institutions.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda for what he described as their continued support for expanding medical education and health infrastructure in the region.

Dr. Saha said that with the increase, AGMC would have the same number of MBBS seats as institutions such as Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi and B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, both of which have NMC approval for 250 seats.

AGMC is the only government-run medical college in Tripura. The State also has a society-managed medical college and a private medical college. The current State government has additionally established a dental college in Agartala.

Separately, the management of Bandhan Bank recently laid the foundation stone for a private medical college at Ambassa in Dhalai district, in northern Tripura. Private medical colleges in India are typically set up by trusts or companies and admit students through the same national entrance test, although fee structures differ.

Medical education capacity has been expanding across the country in recent years, with the Union government and States adding seats in both government and private institutions. States in the North East have been part of this expansion, supported by centrally sponsored schemes for new medical colleges.

Seat strength remains a key constraint in medical education, since the NMC links approved intake to the availability of faculty, beds and clinical material for training. The announcement did not specify whether AGMC's faculty strength, hospital beds or other infrastructure would be expanded alongside the additional seats.

Admission to MBBS courses is through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), followed by counselling conducted by State and central authorities. For students in Tripura, the additional seats at AGMC expand the number of government medical seats available within the State.

Medical graduates from a college are free to practise anywhere in the country unless they are bound by a State-specific service bond, so an increase in seats adds to the national pool of doctors as well as to the State's own training capacity.