The Odisha government has unveiled an ambitious plan to establish nine new medical colleges across the state, aiming to significantly boost medical education and healthcare access. This includes four MBBS colleges, four dental colleges, and one Ayurvedic college, according to Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling.
The proposed MBBS colleges will be set up in the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, and Nabarangpur, while dental colleges will be established in Burla, Berhampur, Bolangir, and Keonjhar. The Ayurvedic medical college is planned for Mayurbhanj district.
Minister Mahaling also announced that two newly built medical colleges—in Phulbani (Kandhamal district) and Talcher (Angul district)—will become operational this year, each admitting 100 MBBS students in their first academic session.
He extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for their support in facilitating the approvals and infrastructure required for these institutions. Mahaling emphasized that these developments will help address the persistent shortage of doctors and improve healthcare delivery across Odisha.
These announcements were made during Mahaling's address at the Healthcare Summit 2025, hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Bhubaneswar. Speaking at the summit, the minister reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening Odisha’s healthcare system and expanding medical education infrastructure.
He highlighted that over 4,000 doctors and paramedical staff were recruited in the past year and shared plans to hire more than 5,000 medical professionals in 2025. Additionally, the government aims to fill 1.5 lakh vacant positions across various departments over the next five years.
Sunil Gupta, Chairperson of the CII Odisha State Council, also addressed the gathering, underscoring Odisha’s evolving leadership in the national healthcare landscape. He stressed the importance of public-private partnerships in accelerating healthcare reforms and ensuring sustainable progress in the sector.