Government Medical College, Amritsar (GMC Amritsar), is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical institutions in India, with an extraordinary history spanning over 160 years. The foundation of the college traces back to 1864, when it was originally established as the Temple Medical School during British rule — making it one of the earliest centers of modern medical education in the Indian subcontinent. In 1928, the institution was upgraded and renamed Government Medical College, Amritsar, marking a historic milestone in its academic journey. Before that, the college was known as Glancy Medical College, originally founded in Lahore in 1864 and named after the Governor General of Punjab. At the time of Partition in 1947, GMC Amritsar was the only medical college in Northern India, shouldering the responsibility of medical education and healthcare for the entire region. GMC Amritsar is affiliated with Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, recognized by the National Medical Commission (NMC), and benefits from inclusion in the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) — a Central-State partnership that has significantly enhanced the college's infrastructure, equipment, and patient care capacity. The college also received UGC recognition, affirming its academic standing. The college offers 250 MBBS seats annually (among the highest for any single government medical college in Punjab) and 142 PG MD/MS seats across 26 specializations — making it one of the most academically comprehensive government medical institutions in the state. Super-specialty DM and M.Ch. courses are also offered in select departments including Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Urology. Notable alumni and faculty include Dr. Daljit Singh — renowned ophthalmologist known for pioneering intra-ocular lens implantation in India — and Dr. H.S. Bedi, a celebrated cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in complex cardiac procedures. GMC Amritsar has expanded considerably with philanthropic support: the Pediatric Hospital was set up with support from the Ram Saran Dass Parkash Wati Kakkar Trust; a TB Sanatorium, a Free Eye and Ear-Nose-Throat Hospital, and a separate Orthopaedics ward were established with other charitable trust contributions — reflecting the institution's strong community ties. The teaching hospitals — Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (primary) and Shri Guru Teg Bahadur (SGTB) Hospital — are multi-specialty government facilities with 1,000+ total beds. The combined hospital ecosystem handles a very heavy patient load with diverse clinical cases from across Punjab and neighbouring states. Services include 24/7 Emergency, Trauma, ICU, NICU, and specialties covering Neurosurgery, Cardiology, Oncology, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Nephrology, Pulmonology, and more. Video and advanced technology are used in operations to maximize training value. The MBBS total fee for AY 2025-26 is approximately ₹9.98 lakhs for the complete course, with annual fee approximately ₹1.16–₹1.50 lakhs per year — extremely affordable for a government college of this stature. The NEET 2025 AIQ General category closing rank was 5,197; Punjab NEET State Quota 2025 General category closing rank was approximately 20,404. NIRF 2025 placed it 149th nationally (Collegedunia data). Per Collegedunia 2025: 97.56% UG placement rate and 91.87% PG placement rate; median UG salary ₹5.5 LPA and PG median salary ₹18 LPA. GMC Amritsar also offers AMDAANA Scholarships (9 scholarships of ₹35,000 each) for deserving students.