Ladakh’s first government medical college is expected to begin functioning in the 2027-28 academic year after the Centre relaxed recruitment rules to help speed up preparations. The decision allows the Ladakh administration to fill 103 sanctioned regular posts in phases without waiting for nearly 80% of the college’s infrastructure to be completed.

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The Union Health Ministry’s decision follows a request from Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to Union Health Minister JP Nadda for a one-time relaxation of the recruitment condition. The move is intended to help the administration prepare for the college’s launch while construction continues.

Initially, the institution will operate from temporary facilities. Two newly constructed buildings have been identified for the academic block and students’ hostel. Leh’s 200-bed Sonam Norbu Memorial (SNM) Hospital, which has around 60 experienced doctors, is expected to provide clinical training for the first batch of MBBS students.

The project was approved in 2019 but has faced delays. In March 2023, a parliamentary standing committee raised concerns about the slow progress of infrastructure development and called for administrative bottlenecks to be addressed. It also recommended beginning academic activities at an existing hospital rather than waiting for the permanent campus.

The delay has meant that students from Ladakh continue to depend on medical colleges outside the Union Territory. For the 2026-27 academic year, Ladakh received seven MBBS seats under the Central Pool, all at institutions outside the region.

Recruitment is expected to proceed in phases according to academic requirements. The college will move to its permanent campus in Leh once construction is completed.