From the current academic year, Central Government has announced a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and a 10% reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in different medical courses, including MBBS, MD, MS, BDS, MDS, and Diplomas.

The health ministry in a statement said “Under the visionary guidance of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken a historic and a landmark decision for providing 27% reservation for OBCs and 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in the All India Quota (AIQ) Scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses (MBBS / MD / MS / Diploma / BDS / MDS) from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards.

The government also stated that 179 new medical colleges were formed over the same period, bringing the total number of medical colleges in the country to 558, including 289 government and 269 private colleges.