Chandigarh, 11 November 2026: Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has received approval for 22 additional MD/MS postgraduate medical seats for the 2026–27 academic session. The increase takes the institution’s reported intake from 155 to 177, following the revised seat matrix issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The development was reported on 10–11 November by The Tribune, The Times of India and Hindustan Times. The approval expands specialist-training capacity at a hospital serving Chandigarh and neighbouring parts of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Which medical specialties get new seats?
According to Hindustan Times’ specialty-wise breakdown, the additional 22 seats are distributed as follows:
- General Medicine: 4 seats
- Physiology: 4 seats
- General Surgery: 3 seats
- Ophthalmology: 3 seats
- Paediatrics: 3 seats
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology: 2 seats
- Pathology: 2 seats
- Forensic Medicine: 1 seat
The allocations total 22 seats. The college’s existing 155-seat MD/MS intake therefore increases to 177, a rise of about 14.2%.
When will the new postgraduate seats be filled?
Contemporary reports say the newly sanctioned seats are expected to be offered during the second round of postgraduate counselling for 2026–27. Candidates should rely on the latest official seat matrix, counselling notifications, eligibility requirements and choice-filling instructions rather than treating a newspaper report as an admission notice.
GMCH maintains an official MD/MS 2026 admissions page with notices, merit lists and counselling updates. Seat allocation between All India and Chandigarh state quotas, including applicable reservation categories, must be checked against the current official counselling documents.
What the approval means for Tricity healthcare
More postgraduate seats create additional opportunities for qualified medical graduates to train in clinical and laboratory specialties at GMCH-32. The college also operates a major teaching hospital for patients from the wider Chandigarh region. Over time, a larger training programme could support clinical services, teaching and research, although the approval itself does not establish an immediate increase in permanent specialist staffing or patient capacity.
GMCH Director-Principal Dr Ravneet Kaur described the increase as a step toward strengthening medical education and specialist availability, according to the reports. Hindustan Times also reported faculty concerns about vacancies and the institution’s ongoing efforts to address recruitment. Those staffing questions remain relevant as the new seats are implemented.
Separate MBBS expansion and pending super-specialty decision
The new MD/MS approval is distinct from GMCH’s earlier undergraduate expansion. In July 2026, the NMC approved raising the college’s MBBS intake from 150 to 200 for 2026–27, according to The Times of India.
Hindustan Times reported that GMCH had also sought additional Doctorate of Medicine (DM) super-specialty seats, but the decision on five such seats was still awaited as of 11 November. The newly confirmed 22 MD/MS seats should not be confused with that pending request.
What applicants should check next
Prospective candidates should monitor GMCH’s official postgraduate admissions portal and the relevant counselling authority for the final seat matrix, category distribution, choice-filling deadlines and reporting instructions. For broader regional education developments, see our report on Panjab University’s new Vice-Chancellor.
Sources and verification note
Official institutional context: GMCH MD/MS admissions page. Independent reporting: The Tribune, 11 November 2026; The Times of India, 10 November 2026; Hindustan Times, 11 November 2026.
Image note: The featured image is a generic editorial illustration of a hospital campus, originally prepared for separate Mohali healthcare coverage. It is not a photograph of GMCH-32, its faculty, the NMC approval or the new seats.