-Cabinet recently gave nod for opening 07 medical college & hospitals in the state
-Currently, 15 medical colleges including that of Centre’s functional in Bihar
-There were just six Medical Colleges in Bihar in 2005; 20 colleges under construction
-Once all the under construction & recently announced 07 colleges become operational, total number of colleges will increase to 42
With Nitish Kumar government’s recent decision to open one medical college & hospital in seven districts, the government has fulfilled its commitment of establishing one medical college in each district of the state.
To make good on its commitment, the Bihar cabinet recently gave its nod to open government medical college in seven districts of the state.
PROPOSED SEVEN MEDICAL COLLEGES –
The proposed medical colleges which got cabinet’s nod will be located at – Kishanganj, Katihar, Rohtas, Sheohar, Lakhisarai, Arwal and Sheikhpura.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been saying in his public speeches that his government’s plan is to set up one medical college in each district of the state. Kumar even reiterated his views during his independence day speech in this regard.
With this decision, the government could achieve the target of having one government medical college and hospital in each district of the state, once these institutions are operationalise.
Currently, there are 12 state run government medical college and hospitals in the state and it could increase further to 15 if three other medical college and hospitals run by the Central government is added to the list. The centre’s medical colleges include- AIIMS, Patna & ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Bihta (Patna).
15 OPERATIONAL MEDICAL COLLEGES
The medical colleges which are currently operational in the state are- PMCH, NMCH, IGIMS, ESIC (Bihta) and AIIMS all in Patna, DMCH, Darbhanga, Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, Gaya, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Bhagalpur, Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur, Government Medical College, Bettiah, Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Medical College and Hospital, Madhepura, Government Medical College, Purnea, Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Medical Sciences, Nalanda, Ram Janki Medical College and Hospital, Samastipur and Government Medical College, Chapra (Saran).
20 UNDER CONSTRUCTION MEDICAL COLLEGES
Besides, 20 other colleges are under various stages of construction in several other districts of the state, health department sources said.
Prominent among 20 medical colleges which are currently under construction in the state included – Jamui, Buxar, Siwan, Ara, Vaishali, Begusarai, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Supaul, and Munger, as well as the AIIMS, Darbhanga. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in November 2024 laid the foundation stone for the second AIIMS at Darbhanga.
Once all the under construction medical colleges become operational, the total number of colleges will increase to 42 from just six colleges in 2005 when Nitish Kumar took over the reins of the state for the first time.
The move, once translated on the ground, would not only significantly improve healthcare and medical infrastructure but would also increase the access to healthcare facilities and medical education to common men.
INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MEDICAL COLLEGES AFTER 2005
There were altogether six medical college and hospitals in the state when Nitish Kumar took over the reins of the state for the first time in November 2005.
Once under construction 20 medical colleges are made operational, the total number of medical colleges will reach to 35 in the state.
With the state cabinet giving its nod for setting up another seven medical colleges in as many districts, the total number of medical colleges would not only increase to 42 in the state but would also fulfill the state government’s vision of having one medical college in each district of the state, official sources said.
NINE PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES IN STATE
The number of private medical college and hospitals has also gone upto nine which is a significant achievement for the state government as it has strengthened state’s health care facilities providing people the better access to treatment.
PLANS TO UPGRADE PMCH, IGIMS & O5 OLD MEDICAL COLLEGES
The state government has an ambitious plan of upgrading the strength of the old six medical college and hospitals under which the state’s oldest medical college PMCH is currently being upgraded to a 5462-bed hospital to be built at a cost of Rs 5540 crore.
In May this year (2025), Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the newly constructed the twin towers of PMCH comprising 1117 beds. The twin towers marked the completion of first phase of ambitious PMCH redevelopment project. The entire redevelopment plan of PMCH is expected to be fully ready by March 2027. PMCH was set up in 1925.
State’s another premiere medical institution Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna is also being developed as 3,000 bed hospital while other five old medical colleges will also be developed as 2500 bed hospital.
