Maharashtra has recorded an unusual trend in medical admissions for the 2026-27 academic year, with 138 MBBS and BDS seats remaining vacant across the state. This marks a significant departure from the previous three academic years, when almost all undergraduate medical seats were filled. According to admission data, the state has 84 vacant MBBS seats and 54 vacant BDS seats. Most of these vacancies are in private medical and dental colleges and universities, raising questions about admission procedures, affordability and the cost of medical education.
Private Medical Colleges Account for Most Vacant Seats
Of the 8,814 MBBS seats available in Maharashtra for 2026-27, all seats in government medical colleges have been filled. However, private institutions continue to report vacancies. Private medical colleges have 39 unfilled MBBS seats, while two private universities account for another 45 vacant seats. The dental admission figures show a similar trend. Of the 2,617 BDS seats available across the state, 54 remain vacant. These include two seats in government dental colleges, 22 in private dental colleges and 30 in a private university.
Stricter Admission Process May Have Led to Vacancies
Medical education sources attribute the vacant seats partly to tighter scrutiny of the admission process. Notably, the Maharashtra government has abolished the institutional-level admission round for undergraduate MBBS and BDS courses in private colleges for the upcoming academic year. Under the revised system, the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell now handles all seat allotments. Previously, private colleges conducted institutional-level admission rounds independently, although they remained subject to regulatory requirements. According to a retired dean of a Mumbai medical college, bringing these admissions under the CET Cell’s control has improved transparency and reduced opportunities for irregularities and backdoor admissions.
This year, the CET Cell conducted three regular rounds and three stray vacancy rounds to fill undergraduate medical and dental seats. The retired dean said that processing all candidates through a common admission system may have reduced the scope for irregularities, potentially contributing to the vacancies.
Vacant Seats Mark a Shift from Previous Years
The 138 vacant seats represent a notable change in Maharashtra’s medical admission trends. During the previous three academic years, from 2023-24 to 2025-26, medical colleges reported no vacant MBBS seats. BDS admissions also recorded very few vacancies, with 11 unfilled seats in 2023-24 and just one vacant seat in each of the following two academic years. In contrast, the 2026-27 admission cycle has ended with vacancies across both medical and dental courses, particularly in private institutions.
High Medical Education Fees Raise Affordability Concerns
While stricter admission procedures may explain some of the vacancies, the high cost of medical education could also be a contributing factor. Brijesh Sutaria, a parents’ representative for medical admissions, said that rising tuition fees and uncertainty surrounding scholarship benefits have made families more cautious about choosing expensive medical courses. He pointed out that many parents are increasingly reluctant to invest their lifetime savings in medical education without clarity on financial assistance. Sutaria stressed the need to make medical education more affordable rather than focusing solely on increasing the number of MBBS seats.
The latest admission figures underscore two key challenges facing Maharashtra’s medical education sector: maintaining transparency in the admission process and making private medical education more affordable and accessible to deserving students. As reported by Hindustan Times, the trend marks a significant shift in the state’s medical admission landscape.