Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) Nashik, the state's main affiliating body for health programmes, has approved a five-year expansion plan that will add 51 new MBBS colleges across Maharashtra by 2032. The plan, finalised in October 2026, aims to nearly double the university's current college count and prioritises rural and small-town locations for most new medical institutions. For NEET-UG aspirants, this signals a significant increase in available MBBS seats in the state over the next five years, alongside major growth in allied health fields like occupational therapy and speech-language pathology.
MUHS Nashik's new five-year plan will add 51 MBBS colleges (mostly in small towns) to Maharashtra's existing 69, potentially increasing NEET seat availability and changing the geography of medical education in the state.
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Unlock My College ListWhat is the MUHS Perspective Plan 2027–32?
The Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) Nashik senate approved a strategic five-year roadmap in late October 2026 that outlines how many new colleges the university will affiliate across all health disciplines. This 'perspective plan' is not a guarantee of immediate college openings, but rather a framework that sets the total number of slots available for new institutions in each field and region over the 2027–32 period.
The plan was developed by a 16-member expert panel, reviewed by the university's academic council, management council, and planning board, and also shared with the Maharashtra state government before final approval. It replaces the previous five-year plan (2022–27) and reflects changes in how the university calculates the need for healthcare professionals based on population ratios.
How many new MBBS colleges will be added, and where?
Under the new plan, MUHS will approve 51 new MBBS colleges over the next five years. This is a substantial addition to the state's current 69 MBBS-affiliated colleges. Importantly, 40 of these 51 slots are reserved for colleges in non-municipal corporation areas—that is, small towns and rural regions outside major cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.
This geographic focus reflects a national policy push to decentralise medical education and improve healthcare access in underserved areas. The 51 new slots are distributed across 61 zones spanning 36 districts of Maharashtra. For NEET aspirants, this means more MBBS seats will become available in tier-2 and tier-3 towns, potentially offering more options for those willing to study outside metropolitan areas.
- 40 of 51 new MBBS colleges planned for small towns and rural areas
- 11 slots for colleges in municipal corporation areas (large cities)
- Slots distributed across 61 zones in 36 districts
- Existing MBBS colleges in Maharashtra: 69
What changed in the population-to-college ratio?
The previous MUHS plan (2022–27) used different population ratios for different health disciplines. For example, one MBBS college was planned for every 10 lakh people, one dental college for every 10 lakh, and one nursing college for every 1.5 lakh. These ratios were inconsistent and did not reflect uniform healthcare workforce needs.
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The new plan simplifies this by adopting a uniform ratio of 1 college per 15 lakh population for most disciplines (except dentistry at 1:20 lakh and Unani at 1:30 lakh). This standardisation makes the planning process more transparent and predictable. Based on Maharashtra's current population and existing college count, the university calculated that 865 new undergraduate college slots are needed across all health fields—nearly doubling the current 952 affiliated colleges.
- Old ratio for MBBS: 1 college per 10 lakh people
- New ratio for MBBS: 1 college per 15 lakh people
- New uniform ratio applied to most health disciplines
- Total new slots planned: 865 across all programmes
Why is allied health sciences getting such a big push?
The plan allocates over 100 new college slots each for occupational therapy, audiology and speech-language pathology (ASLP), prosthetics and orthotics, and naturopathy and yogic sciences. Currently, Maharashtra has only a handful of colleges in these fields. This dramatic expansion aligns with a central government initiative announced in July 2026 to train an additional 100,000 allied healthcare professionals over five years, backed by a ₹1,000 crore budget allocation.
Allied health professionals—such as occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and prosthetics specialists—are critical to comprehensive healthcare delivery but remain severely undersupplied in India. By expanding these programmes, MUHS aims to address a national workforce gap. For NEET aspirants interested in healthcare but not pursuing MBBS or BDS, this expansion opens many more pathways into formal, university-affiliated programmes.
- Over 100 slots each for occupational therapy, ASLP, prosthetics and orthotics
- 69 new slots for Unani medicine colleges
- 60 new slots for homoeopathy colleges
- Aligns with central government's 100,000 allied healthcare professionals initiative
What about dentistry, nursing, and physiotherapy?
Dentistry is set for significant growth: 60 new dental colleges are planned, nearly tripling the current 29. This reflects strong demand for dental professionals and aligns with the MBBS expansion strategy. However, nursing and physiotherapy—fields that already have substantial college networks (401 and 120 colleges respectively)—are receiving fewer new slots: 35 for nursing and 21 for physiotherapy.
The university initially proposed a two-year pause on new nursing and physiotherapy colleges but revised this policy to allow selective expansion in districts that currently lack these facilities. This targeted approach aims to fill geographic gaps without oversupplying regions that already have adequate training capacity. For NEET aspirants considering nursing or physiotherapy, this means competition for seats may remain relatively stable, with new opportunities primarily in underserved areas.
- Dentistry: 60 new colleges (nearly tripling from 29)
- Nursing: 35 new colleges (from 401 existing)
- Physiotherapy: 21 new colleges (from 120 existing)
- New nursing and physiotherapy colleges only in districts lacking these facilities
How will the new college approval process work?
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MUHS has introduced a new approval mechanism called the 'one point one recommendation' policy. Under this system, when multiple organisations apply for a single available slot, the university will evaluate all applications and recommend only the single best-qualified candidate to the state government—rather than forwarding all eligible applications as before. This is intended to streamline the approval process and reduce delays.
Additionally, MUHS will now charge the full application fee only to organisations that make it to the final recommendation list, reducing upfront costs for applicants who do not advance. The online application system will also enforce infrastructure and faculty norms at the submission stage, preventing incomplete or non-compliant applications from being processed. However, the state government retains discretion to approve colleges outside the planned slots or to override the university's recommendation, and minority-run organisations can still apply for colleges regardless of slot availability.
- New 'one point one recommendation' policy: only the best candidate per slot recommended
- Full application fees charged only to final-list organisations
- Online system enforces infrastructure and faculty norms before application submission
- State government retains override authority
- Minority organisations exempt from slot availability requirement
What does this mean for NEET-UG aspirants in Maharashtra?
The expansion of MBBS colleges—especially in small towns—will increase the total number of NEET seats available in Maharashtra over the next five years. This is positive news for aspirants: more seats mean lower cutoffs in some regions and more geographic options. However, the timeline is important: most of these 51 colleges will not open immediately. The plan covers 2027–32, so new colleges will likely begin admitting students from 2027–28 onwards, with the full 51 colleges operational by 2032.
For aspirants taking NEET in 2027 and 2028, the immediate impact on seat availability may be modest, as new colleges take time to establish infrastructure and receive regulatory approval. However, by 2029–30 and beyond, the cumulative effect of 30–40 new MBBS colleges becoming operational should noticeably increase competition and seat availability. Aspirants should also note that the focus on small-town colleges means that if you are willing to study outside major metros, your chances of securing an MBBS seat may improve significantly.
- 51 new MBBS colleges will increase total NEET seat availability in Maharashtra
- Most new colleges will admit students from 2027–28 onwards
- Full impact expected by 2029–30 and beyond
- Small-town colleges offer more options for aspirants outside metros
- Cutoffs may shift as new seats enter the counselling pool
When can organisations apply, and what are the key deadlines?
MUHS has already invited applications from healthcare organisations to establish new colleges under the perspective plan for the 2027–28 academic year. The application deadline is the end of October 2026 (approximately when the plan was approved). Organisations must apply through the university's online portal, which will validate infrastructure and faculty compliance before allowing submission.
The university has stated that the perspective plan will be revised annually to account for population growth and the opening or closure of existing colleges. This means that while the 865-slot framework is set for five years, the specific number of slots available in each district and discipline may adjust year to year. Aspirants and their families should monitor MUHS announcements for updates on college approvals and opening dates.
- Application deadline: end of October 2026
- Applications submitted via MUHS online portal
- Infrastructure and faculty norms validated at submission stage
- Plan to be revised annually
- New colleges expected to admit from 2027–28 onwards
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
How many new MBBS colleges will open in Maharashtra by 2032?
MUHS Nashik has approved 51 new MBBS college slots under its 2027–32 perspective plan. These will be added to the existing 69 MBBS colleges in the state. However, not all 51 will open immediately; the plan spans five years, and colleges will begin admitting students from 2027–28 onwards as they receive approval and establish infrastructure.
Where will most of the new MBBS colleges be located?
Of the 51 new MBBS college slots, 40 are reserved for small towns and rural areas outside municipal corporation boundaries. Only 11 slots are for colleges in large cities. This reflects a policy to decentralise medical education and improve healthcare access in underserved regions.
Will the new colleges increase NEET seat availability in Maharashtra?
Yes. The 51 new MBBS colleges will add thousands of NEET seats to Maharashtra's counselling pool over the next five years. However, the impact will be gradual: most colleges will begin admitting from 2027–28 onwards, so the full effect on seat availability and cutoffs will be visible by 2029–30 and beyond.
What is the 'one point one recommendation' policy?
Under this new policy, when multiple organisations apply for a single available college slot, MUHS will evaluate all applications and recommend only the single best-qualified candidate to the state government. This streamlines the approval process and reduces delays compared to the previous system, which forwarded all eligible applications.
Are there new colleges planned for nursing and physiotherapy?
Yes, but in limited numbers. The plan includes 35 new nursing colleges and 21 new physiotherapy colleges. These are being added selectively only in districts that currently lack these facilities, as Maharashtra already has 401 nursing colleges and 120 physiotherapy colleges. The focus is on filling geographic gaps rather than overall expansion.
What is the new population-to-college ratio used in the plan?
The new plan uses a uniform ratio of 1 college per 15 lakh population for most health disciplines (except dentistry at 1:20 lakh and Unani at 1:30 lakh). This replaces the previous inconsistent ratios and makes planning more transparent and predictable.
Why is allied health sciences getting so many new college slots?
The plan allocates over 100 slots each for occupational therapy, audiology and speech-language pathology, prosthetics and orthotics, and naturopathy and yogic sciences. This aligns with a central government initiative to train 100,000 additional allied healthcare professionals over five years. These professionals are critical to comprehensive healthcare but remain undersupplied in India.
When will the new colleges start admitting students?
The perspective plan covers 2027–32, and MUHS has already invited applications for colleges to open in the 2027–28 academic year. However, colleges must first receive approval and establish infrastructure, so the first batch of new colleges will likely admit students from 2027–28 onwards, with more opening in subsequent years.
MUHS Nashik's approval of 51 new MBBS colleges signals a significant expansion of medical education in Maharashtra over the next five years, with a strong focus on small towns and rural areas. While this will increase NEET seat availability, the full impact will unfold gradually as colleges receive approval and begin operations from 2027–28 onwards. Aspirants should monitor MUHS announcements for updates on college approvals and consider exploring opportunities in small-town institutions, which may offer better admission prospects.
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