Bhubaneswar: Odisha health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling sought the intervention of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda for issuing the Letter of Permission (LoP) to admit MBBS students in two newly established government medical colleges.

During a meeting held in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Mahaling requested LoPs for 200 MBBS seats at the Pavitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College (PMPMC), Talcher, and the Government Medical College (GMC), Phulbani, for the academic year 2025–26.

Mahaling also discussed strategies to further strengthen healthcare services in Odisha.

The Deans and Principals of both institutions submitted their applications for the LoP through the National Medical Commission (NMC) portal on January 18, 2025. Subsequently, the NMC conducted physical inspections of the campuses — at PMPMC, Talcher on June 23, 2025, and at GMC, Phulbani on May 28, 2025.

The State Government has already allocated the required budgetary support to develop infrastructure and ensure quality medical education at both institutions.

Once the LoPs are granted, the number of government medical colleges in Odisha will increase from 14 to 16, and the total number of MBBS seats in government institutions will rise to 1,800.

Also present at the meeting were Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water, and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, and Members of Parliament Bhartruhari Mahtab (Cuttack), Pradeep Purohit (Bargarh), and Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi (Kandhamal).