The number of medical colleges in India has more than doubled since 2014, rising from 387 to 844, while MBBS seats have increased from 51,348 to 1.39 lakh, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. She said the expansion, along with initiatives such as the Family Adoption Programme, District Residency Programme and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, is aimed at improving healthcare access, particularly in rural and underserved areas, while strengthening medical education and frontline health services.