The Padmashree Dr.D.Y.Patil Medical College, established in 1996, received approval of the medical council of India (MCI), for the award of MBBS degree for its very first batch. The college has been accorded the status of Deemed-to-be-University by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India on recommendation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) within a period of just six and a half years of establishment, perhaps the shortest period of such recognition.

This is the first private college in the state of Maharashtra to receive MCI approval to increase in the intake from 100 to 150 students in 2003, again perhaps within the shortest span of time of seven years.