Doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:811, Health Ministry tells Parliament

The doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:811, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday (December 2, 2025), in a written reply submitted in the Rajya Sabha. 

Assuming 80% of registered practitioners in both allopathic and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) systems are available, the doctor-population ratio in the country is estimated to be 1:811, the Health Ministry said.

There are 13,88,185 registered allopathic doctors in the country, and 7,51,768 registered practitioners in the AYUSH system of medicine, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda said.

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There had been a significant increase in the number of medical colleges, and undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) medical seats in the country, he added. Since 2014, the number of medical colleges had gone up from 387 to 818; UG seats from 51,348 to 1,28,875; and PG seats from 31,185 to 82,059, Mr. Nadda said.

Several measures had been taken to improve the availability of doctors in under-served, rural, and tribal areas, the Minister said, adding that a “hard-area allowance” is provided to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas, and for their residential quarters.

Under the National Health Mission, States are allowed to offer a negotiable salary to attract specialists, including flexibility with strategies such as “You Quote We Pay”, the Minister said.