Odisha to set up 9 new medical colleges in 2025-26: Health Minister

Odisha is set to significantly boost its healthcare education and services by opening nine new medical institutions across the State during the 2025–26 academic year, including MBBS, dental, and ayurvedic colleges. AI and health tourism are also key priorities.

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This was informed on Tuesday by Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling. The Minister made this declaration during the ‘CII-Odisha Healthcare Summit 2025’ held in Bhubaneswar.

According to official sources, the Odisha government has approved the establishment of nine new medical colleges in the State for the 2025–26 academic session, marking a big leap toward improving healthcare infrastructure and education.

As per the announcement, four MBBS colleges will be set up, each in Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, and Nabarangpur districts. In addition, four dental colleges will be opened in Burla, Berhampur, Keonjhar, and Bolangir, while Mayurbhanj will have a new Ayurvedic college. This expansion has already received approval in the State budget.

Further, the State government has decided to admit 100 students each to the newly established medical colleges in Talcher and Phulbani, boosting the number of medical seats.

Highlighting Odisha’s commitment to digital healthcare, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling announced that the State has become the first in India to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector.

Odisha is also making strides toward becoming a health tourism hub. The CII-Odisha summit emphasised the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in all hospitals, aiming for universal health coverage across public and private institutions.

These initiatives reflect Odisha’s strategic shifts to not only expand the capacity in medical education but also to adopt technology and holistic care models for a healthier population.

“We have made provision in the annual budget to set up nine medical colleges in the State, this year (2025-26). Four of them are MBBS colleges which are to be set up in Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, and Nabarangpur districts. Four dental colleges to be set up in Burla, Berhampur, Keonjhar, and Bolangir. An Ayurvedic college will be established in Mayurbhanj district,” the Health Minister said while speaking to mediapersons.