KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Mar 14: In a landmark development for medical education and advanced healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted approval to Government Medical College Srinagar for two M.Ch seats in the Department of Neurosurgery. This marks the first-ever approval for an M.Ch Neurosurgery programme in any medical college across the Union Territory.
The approval is being seen as a significant milestone in the continuous expansion of super-specialty medical education at GMC Srinagar, one of the premier tertiary care institutions in the region. The introduction of the M.Ch Neurosurgery programme is expected to enhance the availability of highly specialized neurosurgical expertise and strengthen patient care services across Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said the approval reflects the growing academic and clinical capabilities of GMC Srinagar, which has steadily expanded its super-specialty training programmes over the past few years in line with national medical education standards.
The journey towards strengthening super-specialty education at the institution began in 2021, when the college introduced two M.Ch seats in Urology. Since then, GMC Srinagar has progressively expanded its advanced medical programmes after receiving approvals for two DM seats in Neurology, followed by two seats each in DM Medical Gastroenterology, DM Cardiology and DM Pulmonary Medicine.
Further strengthening its super-specialty portfolio, the institution also secured approval for two M.Ch seats in Pediatric Surgery. In February 2026, the NMC granted approval for two additional seats in Urology, reflecting the growing academic infrastructure and patient load handled by the institution.
With the latest addition of two M.Ch Neurosurgery seats, the total number of super-specialty seats (DM and M.Ch programmes) at GMC Srinagar has now risen to 16. Medical education authorities believe the expansion will not only boost advanced medical training but will also improve the availability of specialized healthcare services within the region, reducing the need for patients to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for complex treatments.
Meanwhile, the institution has also recorded growth in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. At the undergraduate level, MBBS seats at GMC Srinagar have increased from 180 to 200 for the 2025–26 academic session. Similarly, postgraduate MD/MS seats have risen from 259 to 277 during the same session, reflecting a broader expansion of academic capacity.
In addition to these developments, new courses accredited by the National Board of Examinations were also sanctioned for the 2025–26 academic session. These include DrNB Thoracic Surgery and FNB in Paediatric Nephrology, further strengthening the institution’s profile as a centre for advanced medical training.
Over the past two years, GMC Srinagar has also introduced several allied healthcare and academic programmes aimed at developing a comprehensive healthcare workforce. These include a Post Basic BSc Nursing programme with an annual intake of 80 students, an MSc Nursing programme with 25 seats per year, and a Post-PG Diploma course in Addiction
Psychology with 20 seats annually.
Medical experts believe that the continued expansion of super-specialty courses and allied health programmes will significantly enhance the capacity of GMC Srinagar to train skilled healthcare professionals and deliver specialized medical services to patients across Jammu and Kashmir.
The approval for the M.Ch Neurosurgery programme is therefore being viewed as a major step forward in strengthening both medical education and tertiary healthcare delivery in the region.
