WHO’s 1 doctor per 1,000 people reality by 2030

India is well-placed to achieve WHO recommendation of one doctor per 1,000 people by 2030, according to the Economic Survey report.
There are 13.86 lakh doctors which converts into current availability for the whole population in the ratio of 1:1,263. “The WHO standard norm of 1:1,000 seems to be attainable by 2030, with a conservative 50,000 doctors being licensed every year till 2030,” it added. The increase in doctors has been made possible by a sustained increase in medical colleges, from 499 in FY 2019 to 780 in FY 2025, during which time MBBS seats increased from 70,012 (2019) to 1,18,137 (2025). However, it pointed to concerns about unequal distribution of medical colleges, and lack of specialists in rural areas.