Srinagar, Oct 21: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the operationalisation of Ladakh’s first Government Medical College at Spituk Pharka in Leh from the academic year 2027-28, marking a major milestone in expanding medical education and healthcare infrastructure in the Union Territory.
The approval allows the UT Administration to initiate staggered recruitment for 103 sanctioned regular posts of faculty and supporting staff, following a one-time relaxation from the requirement of 80 per cent completion of infrastructure before recruitment begins.
In a communication to the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Ladakh, the Ministry conveyed that the Department of Expenditure had agreed to the proposal, subject to specified conditions.
The proposal was submitted by the UT Administration through a letter dated August 5, 2026, seeking approval for the medical college’s operationalisation from 2027-28 and relaxation of the infrastructure completion requirement to facilitate recruitment.
As per the conditions laid down by the Department of Expenditure, recruitment to the 103 sanctioned posts will be undertaken in a staggered manner, in line with academic requirements from the 2027-28 academic year onwards, as identified by the UT Administration.
The Ministry has also directed that the posts be filled on a regular basis in accordance with the approved recruitment rules.
Regarding infrastructure, the UT Administration has been asked to ensure that any interim arrangement remains temporary and that the college shifts to its dedicated infrastructure once construction is completed.
The administration will also have to establish reasonable timelines for completion of the proposed infrastructure at Spituk Pharka and inform the Department of Expenditure when the transition from the interim arrangement to the dedicated facilities takes place.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, in a statement on social media, termed the approval a historic milestone and thanked Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda for considering his request for a one-time relaxation of the infrastructure requirement.
He said the decision would enable preparatory recruitment for the sanctioned posts to begin while construction of the dedicated academic infrastructure progresses.
The LG said the approval fulfilled a long-standing aspiration of the people of Ladakh and would create opportunities for local youth to pursue medical education closer to home.
He added that the medical college would also strengthen the region’s healthcare ecosystem in the long term.
The UT Administration, he said, would ensure all necessary arrangements to welcome the first batch of medical students in the 2027-28 academic session.
