New NMC Regulations Spell Out DM, MCh Feeder Qualifications, Selection Procedure

The apex medical regulator has further spelt out the selection procedure to be followed by the medical institutions for DM, MCh admissions.

The regulations will come into force on the date of their publication in the official gazette and will be applicable from the 2021-22 academic session.

Ranging from the timeline to the curriculum of PG programmes - MD, MS, PG Diploma, DM and MCh courses, the regulations clearly outline assessment rules, recognition of medical colleges, counselling/admission schedules, period training for medicos and the prior qualifications for admissions to all specialities, PG and SS.

The guidelines also specify minimum faculty required for each department at medical colleges, teacher-student ratio, training path, residency programmes as well as exam conducts for PG and SS candidates along with infrastructural requirements for imparting the courses.

One major feature of the regulations pertains to the selection of PG students mentioning the conduct of NExt, its score and continuation of NEET PG as the gateway for admissions to MD, MS, PG Diploma, DM and MCh courses in India.

Feeder Qualifications:

The following tables summarise the super-specialisations as well as their feeder qualifications

DM (Doctorate of Medicine) for which candidates must posses a recognized degree of MD (or its equivalent recognized degree) in the subject shown against them

MCh (Master of Chirurgie) for which candidates must posses a recognized degree of MS (or its equivalent recognized degree) in the subjects shown against them.

Selection Procedure:

According to the draft regulations, the selection of students into DM and MCh courses will be based on the uniform entrance examination, NEET SS each academic year and shall be conducted under the overall supervision of the National Medical Commission. The guidelines further outline the percentile criteria required to be qualified by candidates as well as the counselling schedule timeline.

Broad details on the Selection to Postgraduate Super Specialty courses (DM/MCh):

a. There shall be a uniform entrance examination namely "National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test"( Super Speciality) for admission to Postgraduate super-speciality courses in each academic year and shall be conducted under the overall supervision of the National Medical Commission.

b. The designated authority to conduct the "National Eligibility cum Entrance Test "(NEET SS) shall be as specified by the National Medical Commission.

c. In order to be eligible for admission to Postgraduate Super-specialty Course for an academic year, it shall be necessary for a candidate to obtain a minimum of marks at 50th percentile in the 'National Eligibility-CumEntrance Test for Super Specialty Postgraduate courses' held for the said academic year. However, in respect of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, the minimum marks shall be at the 40th percentile. In respect of candidates with benchmark disabilities specified under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the minimum marks shall be at 45th percentile for General Category and 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC. The percentile 8 shall be determined on the basis of highest marks secured in the All India Common merit list in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Super Specialty Postgraduate courses. Provided when sufficient number of candidates in the respective categories fail to secure minimum marks as prescribed in National Eligibilitycum-Entrance Test held for any academic year for admission to Postgraduate Super-specialty Courses, the National Medical Commission on the advice of the PGMEB may at its discretion lower the minimum marks required for admission to Post Graduate Super-specialty Course for candidates belonging to respective categories and marks so lowered shall be applicable for that academic year only.

d. Schedule and Admission process of Super Specialty Postgraduate courses (DM/Mch) shall be per belowmentined timeline.

In any circumstances, the last date for admission/ joining will not be extended after 31 August.

These NMC draft on Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2021 has been put in the public domain for comments from the public and various stakeholders. The comments are to be submitted to the NMC via email at president.pgmeb@nmc.org.in before the 30th of August 2021.

To read the full draft regulations, click here