The northern Indian state of Nagaland is getting ready to launch its first medical school since becoming a state in 1963. The Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (NIMSR), a division of Nagaland University, has been given permission by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the supreme medical authority in India, to open 100 MBBS seats in the academic year 2023–2024.

The NMC’s Medical Assessment & Rating Board (NMC, MARB) approved the 100 MBBS seats for the medical college on Tuesday, according to P Paiwang Konyak, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Department, who made the announcement during a joint news conference held at the medical college’s location in Kohima. The decision marks a key turning point for medical education in the state of Nagaland. The medical college has long been a dream of the people of Nagaland.

In addition, Konyak said the department would send a letter of acceptance to the NMC. The agency anticipates receiving a “Letter of Permission” from the MARB for the 100 medical seats within a week. The college’s civil construction is already complete, and the medical college’s academic year is scheduled to start in June or July 2023.

The remaining 15 of the 100 seats would be open to candidates from other states, with 85 of the seats reserved for students from Nagaland. The state has attracted the brightest professors from throughout the nation, and the hiring process for the medical college’s personnel is already under way.

Before approving, the NMC’s MARB considered a number of aspects, including the availability of infrastructure facilities including labs, libraries, dormitories, and hospitals as well as the qualifications and publications of the professors. On March 27, 2023, the board conducted a physical verification surprise assessment to determine the readiness of the college.

According to NMC standards, the NIMSR will seek to correct any problems by May 31, 2023. For the purpose of obtaining the Letter of Permission to start raising the number of seats for the academic year 2023–2024, it has been requested of the state that it supply the appropriate undertakings and crucial documents.

The opening of a medical college in Nagaland is anticipated to improve the state’s healthcare delivery system, which has frequently struggled with a physician shortage. The people of Nagaland have hailed the decision and are hopeful that the institution would generate a new generation of medical experts who can benefit the state and the nation.