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Centre approves Ladakh’s first government medical college in Leh

Long-Held Dream Realised

Muskan Thakur
Early Times Report

Jammu, Oct 20: Ladakh is set to get its first government medical college. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved its launch in Leh from the 2027-28 academic session, a long-awaited step for medical education and healthcare in the Union Territory.
The approval clears the way for phased recruitment against 103 regular posts. It is expected to fulfil an aspiration the people of Ladakh have held for years. For students who want to study medicine, the college opens up new opportunities, while the region gains stronger clinical training facilities and a longer-term boost to its health services.
Relaxation sought to speed up hiring: The approval follows a request from the Lieutenant Governor. In a letter dated July 13, 2026, to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, he sought relaxation of the norm that requires about 80% of the infrastructure to be complete before faculty and support staff can be recruited. The aim was to allow early recruitment so that academic activity could begin on schedule while construction of the academic infrastructure continued in parallel.
Considering the request and the urgency of the matter, the ministry granted the relaxation. According to the ministry, recruitment against the 103 posts will begin from the 2027-28 session. The Ladakh administration will ensure the posts are filled on a regular basis under the prescribed recruitment rules. Once the proposed facilities are ready, the college will be shifted to its permanent building and infrastructure.
Gratitude and assurance: The Lieutenant Governor thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Nadda, calling the start of a government medical college in Leh an important milestone for Ladakh that fulfils a long-cherished aspiration of its people. “We will ensure that all necessary arrangements are completed to start the medical college in the academic year 2027-28,” he said.
Interim arrangements: For now, two newly constructed buildings have been earmarked as the academic block and the hostel. The existing 200-bed SNM Hospital, which has around 60 experienced doctors, will provide clinical training to the first batch of MBBS students. These temporary arrangements will remain in use until the college’s own dedicated infrastructure is ready, in line with the conditions laid down by the Department of Expenditure.