Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to medical education and bringing good news for PG aspirants, the Odisha government has decided to add 502 new postgraduate medical seats in 11 government medical colleges and two PG institutes across the state for the 2026-27 academic session.The highest number of new PG seats will be added at Government Medical College and Hospital, Phulbani, which is 76 seats, followed by SLN Medical College and Hospital, Koraput (75 seats) and Maharaja Jajati Keshari Medical College and Hospital, Jajpur (70 seats).Other colleges where PG seats will be increased include Bhima Bhoi Medical College, Balangir (57 seats), Dharani Dhar Medical College, Keonjhar (37 seats), Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College, Talcher (36 seats) and SRM Medical College, Kalahandi (35 seats).Also read- NMC approves 171 additional PG medical seats after appeals, DetailsSimilarly, 29 PG seats will be added at Government Medical College, Sundargarh, 24 at SCB Medical College, Cuttack, 19 at MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, and 18 at PRM Medical College, Baripada. The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Bhubaneswar, along with Capital Hospital, will together secure 26 additional PG seats. The Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, Cuttack, is also part of the expansion plan.The PG disciplines in which additional seats have been proposed are anaesthesiology, biochemistry, anatomy, community medicine, cardiology, ENT, endocrinology, emergency medicine, FMT, general medicine, general surgery, microbiology, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, pathology, paediatrics, pharmacology, physiology, psychiatric, radio-diagnosis, skin and dermatology and venereology, radio therapy and respiratory medicine.At present, Odisha has around 1,800 MBBS seats and 615 PG seats in 24 medical disciplines. To move forward with the expansion, the Health and Family Welfare Department has directed all government medical colleges to submit detailed proposals for creating new PG seats and introducing new PG courses.As per TNIE sources, the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) has asked deans and principals of 11 medical colleges and directors of two postgraduate institutes – Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Bhubaneswar and Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, Cuttack to take necessary steps and prepare the comprehensive proposals for the addition of PG seats. The DMET also asked them to prepare financial details and infrastructure requirements in their proposals.DMET Director Dr Santosh Kumar Mishra said, “The medical colleges have been asked to submit the proposals with financial implications to the directorate at the earliest so that necessary steps can be taken for seeking approvals from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for the academic session 2026-27.”The NMC had approved 62 PG seats in six government medical colleges and hospitals in the state for the 2025-26 academic year. “The addition of PG seats and courses will not only enhance the quality of medical teaching and learning but also improve specialised healthcare delivery for the people of the region,” Mishra added.Also read- NMC clears 187 additional PG medical seats after appeals