Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital (MKCG MCH), Berhampur — popularly known as MKCG Medical College — is one of the oldest and most prestigious government medical colleges in Odisha and Eastern India, and the undisputed premier medical institution of Southern Odisha. Established in 1962 in the city of Berhampur (Brahmapur), Ganjam district, MKCG has produced over 5,000 MBBS graduates and more than 1,000 postgraduates (MD/MS) who are serving across India and internationally — a legacy of clinical and academic excellence built over more than six decades. MKCG was originally established as an extension wing of S.C.B. Medical College, Cuttack — the oldest medical college in Odisha — in 1961 with an initial intake of just 40 students. It was relocated to Berhampur in 1962 and began functioning independently from 1963 when the foundation stone for its own dedicated campus was laid. The medical college and hospital were named after Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati — the former Maharaja of Parlakhemundi, Ganjam, who was a visionary leader, the first Prime Minister of Odisha post-independence, and a major advocate of modern education, social reform, and women's empowerment in the region. The naming of the college after this beloved statesman reflects both the institutional commitment to public service and the deep cultural connection of MKCG with the heritage of southern Odisha. Sprawled across a magnificent 162-acre campus in Berhampur — the largest campus among all government medical colleges in Odisha — MKCG MCH is a self-contained medical township with its own hospital buildings, staff quarters, hostels, playgrounds, and administrative infrastructure. The campus building layout covers 725,913 sq ft, housing the main academic building, 31 departments (23 clinical + 8 non-clinical/para-clinical), the main hospital, multiple specialty wings, nursing college, and residential quarters for teaching and non-teaching staff. The campus infrastructure includes a new, purpose-built AIIMS-style Central Library (built at ₹9 crore budget, fully air-conditioned, open 8 AM to 10 PM on working days), an Academic Block with 4 centrally air-conditioned lecture theatres and 4 examination halls, new buildings for Trauma Centre, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, and General Medicine, an upgraded Forensic and Toxicology Department with a new mortuary, and a Regional Diagnostic Centre with advanced diagnostic and investigation facilities. The hospital at MKCG operates with 1,190 beds across 23 clinical departments — making it the largest government hospital in Southern Odisha and the primary tertiary referral centre for the entire region. The hospital's daily OPD sees thousands of patients from Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Kandhamal, and even parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — a multi-state catchment that gives MKCG students exposure to an extraordinary diversity of clinical conditions including tropical infectious diseases, agricultural and industrial trauma, oncological presentations, nutritional deficiencies, and high-risk obstetric cases from underserved populations. The hospital provides free diet to all indoor patients per Odisha government rules, a 10-bed ICU, a 5-bed ICCU, 24×7 emergency OT, a 24×7 blood bank in a separate building, and super-specialty services in Cardiology, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Urology, Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, and Plastic Surgery (available on designated days of the week). Postgraduate programs commenced at MKCG in 1971-72 with three disciplines (Physiology, General Medicine, General Surgery) and have expanded to 23 disciplines with 159 total PG seats — the largest PG program among all government medical colleges in Odisha. Super Specialty DM programs include DM Cardiology and DM Endocrinology (2 seats each), and the college conducts NEET SS admissions as per MCC/NBE protocols. MKCG also runs 80 seats in DMLT (Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology), 30 seats in DMRT (Diploma in Medical Radiation Technology), a Nursing College (first nursing college in Odisha, established 1983) with B.Sc. Nursing, Post-Basic B.Sc. Nursing, and M.Sc. Nursing programs, and a CHO (Community Health Officer) program introduced in 2019. For MBBS, the NEET UG 2024 AIQ last-round closing rank was 14,126 (General category) — and the state quota 2025 expected cutoff for General category is approximately 610–630 marks — making MKCG one of the most competitive government medical colleges in Odisha alongside SCB Cuttack. Annual MBBS fee: approximately ₹37,950 (Odisha government rate). MBBS internship stipend: ₹25,000–₹30,000/month. Compulsory rural service bond applicable after MBBS — penalty for non-compliance as per Odisha government norms. MKCG's NEET PG cutoff for MD Radiodiagnosis stands at AIQ rank 57 (last round 2022) — reflecting the exceptional competition for PG seats at this institution.