Despite incentives in the 2025 Budget to boost domestic medical education, students are still expected to prefer studying medicine abroad.
India's medical colleges continue to face a severe shortage of seats, despite the 2025 Budget aiming to add 10,000 new seats to the current 100,000. With a record number of students aspiring to enter the medical field, competition has intensified, prompting many to consider alternative routes to fulfill their ambitions.
According to test preparation and study-abroad consultants, an increasing number of students are expected to explore medical education opportunities overseas this year. They point out that studying medicine abroad is often more affordable than attending private medical colleges in India and can offer access to advanced infrastructure and facilities.
While some students are looking into alternative health-related programs within India—such as homeopathy, Ayurvedic, physiotherapy, and dentistry—an MBBS degree from a government medical college remains the top choice.
“The primary reason students choose to study medicine abroad is the limited number of government MBBS seats in India,” said Parijat Mishra, head of career counseling in the medical division at Allen, a leading test prep organization. He also noted that lower tuition costs in some international destinations make them particularly attractive to Indian students.
Popular countries for Indian medical aspirants include Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Others are also exploring options in China, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Romania.