AP to Open 10 Medical Colleges in 2027-28

Vijayawada: The state government would start 10 new medical colleges from the 2027-28 academic year. As per a cabinet decision, these would be developed under the PPP mode.

Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said the establishment of these medical colleges would give a major boost to healthcare and medical education in Andhra Pradesh. He said the state cabinet, at its meeting on Sept 4, gave its nod to this effect.

The new institutions would come up in Adoni, Madanapalle, Markapuram, Pulivendula, Penugonda, Palakollu, Amalapuram, Narsipatnam, Bapatla and Parvathipuram.

As part of Phase-I, the cabinet has given its consent for draft Request for Proposals (RFPs) and concession agreements for start of medical colleges in Adoni, Markapuram, Madanapalle and Pulivendula. For the remaining six locations, feasibility reports and draft RFPs are being finalised, with the tender committee empowered to make minor modifications in the documents based on pre-bid consultations.

Officials said PPP models have the potential to mitigate risks in design, financing and execution, improve operational efficiency and ensure long-term value for money. Keeping this in view, the government has recommended that the development of all 10 medical colleges be taken up through a PPP approach.

The government has set a timeline to complete the construction and make the institutions ready for student admissions starting from the 2027-28 academic year.

Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh has dismissed as “false” the opposition’s allegations that the new medical colleges are being privatized. While construction is being undertaken through private participation to speed up its completion, full ownership and administrative control of the colleges will remain with the state government, he said.

He said a decision was taken to improve facilities, reduce the financial burden on the government, and make medical education more accessible to students across Andhra Pradesh.

Durgesh said, “With the PPP model, each new medical college would see an addition of at least 150 MBBS seats, significantly expanding the opportunities for aspiring doctors.

He said, “The present government is working to revive incomplete projects left midway by the previous government. Instead of constructive suggestions, the opposition is misleading people with propaganda, claiming that Rs.8,500 crore worth of colleges are being leased out to benamis for Rs.5,000 crore. This is nothing but a distortion of facts.”

The minister said colleges at Markapuram, Adoni, Madanapalle and Pulivendula were left only partially built, with completion percentages ranging from 12 to 77 per cent. “Despite five institutions being formally announced under the previous regime, classes never started, hostels and staff remained absent, and only inadequate facilities existed in a few campuses during the 2023–24 academic year in Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Machilipatnam, and Nandyal.”

“In reality, they spent only 17 per cent of the required Rs.8,500 crore budget. Today, they accuse us of privatization while they themselves had introduced a self-financing model, fixing medical seat fees at Rs.12 lakh. This double-speak is ridiculous,” Durgesh added.