Goa to Get New Government Medical College in Margao
Panaji: The long-distance travel for patients from South Goa to the GMC at Bambolim will soon be a thing of the past as Goa is set to get a new government medical college and hospital in Margao. The new Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) medical college is likely to commence operations from the new academic year of 2025-2026, making it the second government medical college in the state.
The Union government has considered Goa’s request for the inclusion of ESI Margao Hospital in the list of locations under active consideration for setting up new medical colleges. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told TOI that “admission for the medical college will start from the current academic year. We will make all efforts to start the college this academic year.”
Sawant said that the total management of the medical college will be looked after by the ESI. “The medical college will start with 100 beds, which will be increased to 250 beds,” he said. “We will provide all the required support to start the medical college from this academic year.”
The state government is willing to give additional land to ESI to upgrade its existing hospital in Margao to a medical college. Sawant has already directed officers to start communicating with the Union government to put the project on the fast track. He said additional infrastructure for the hospital will be created and he is continually following up with the Union government to get the medical college to Goa.
Sawant expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Labour & Employment Mansukh Mandaviya for positively considering Goa’s request for the inclusion of ESI Margao Hospital in the list of locations under active consideration for setting up new medical colleges. He said this significant step will immensely strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand opportunities for medical education in South Goa.
Currently, Goa has only one government medical college. However, due to opposition to a private medical college by the people of South Goa, the proposal did not see the light of day. The state government has been eyeing the establishment of a private medical college in South Goa to provide better medical facilities to the people of the district and to cut travel time to the GMC.
Published On May 9, 2025 at 05:42 PM IST
