Srinagar, March 22 -- The Union Government has approved three new medical colleges for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for expanding medical education in underserved regions.

According to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Jammu & Kashmir will get new medical colleges in Udhampur and Handwara (Kupwara district), while Ladakh will have its first-ever medical college in Leh.

The initiative ispart of the government's broader plan to strengthen healthcare education by establishing 157 new medical colleges across India, with a focus on aspirational districts and border regions, the ministry said.

It said these new institutions aim to improve access to medical education and address the shortage of ...