Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sundargarh, popularly known as GMC Sundargarh, is a government-funded medical college established in 2021 by the Government of Odisha, located in the village of Sankara in Sundargarh district — near the Rourkela-Sambalpur Biju Express Highway (NH-49). The college was built to address Sundargarh district's significant doctor shortage and to provide quality medical education in a predominantly tribal and industrial district that has historically relied on Rourkela's private hospitals and the distant SCB Medical College, Cuttack, for tertiary care. Sundargarh district is a unique combination of tribal communities (Oraon, Munda, Ho, Kharia, Birhor), coal and iron ore mining areas, Rourkela Steel Plant (SAIL), and natural forests — giving GMCH Sundargarh students access to a clinically diverse patient population that includes occupational diseases (pneumoconiosis, siderosis from steel and mining operations), tribal health conditions (malaria, sickle cell disease, malnutrition), and Rourkela-belt urban health issues. The campus spreads across 21 acres in Sankara — a purposefully chosen site near the national highway ensuring good road connectivity. The campus includes a modern academic and administrative block, an auditorium, faculty and staff quarters, UG boys' and girls' hostels, a residents' hostel for PG doctors, a cafeteria, a playground, and a gymnasium. The 500-bed dedicated teaching hospital is being developed in phases. Until the college's own hospital is fully operational, the primary clinical training site is the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), Sundargarh — situated approximately 5 km from the campus, with around 300 beds and seeing 1,500+ OPD patients daily and 1,000+ IPD patients. The combined hospital infrastructure (DHH 300 beds + GMCH developing hospital 500 beds) ensures adequate clinical material for MBBS students. GMC Sundargarh has an annual MBBS intake of 100 students, affiliated to Sambalpur University (with possible transition to OUHS), and recognized by NMC. Annual fee: approximately ₹37,950. Hostel facilities (separate boys, girls, and residents' hostels) are on campus. The college has a central library with 25 digital computers with high-speed internet for e-library access. NEET UG 2024 AIQ closing rank for GMC Sundargarh General category: approximately 24,000–34,000 range. Jharsuguda Airport is approximately 22 km from the campus, giving students good air connectivity to Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, and Mumbai.