NMC directs all State Medical Councils to Register additional qualifications of PG students against permitted seats

The respite comes soon after the NMC received several representations from State Medical Councils for knowing the status of recognition of seats shown as permitted on the NMC's website as they require the same for registering the additional qualifications.

Last year in October, keeping in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the medical academia and the overall functioning and assessment of medical institutes across the country, the NMC announced provisional recognition of one more year to PG medical qualifications for the 2020-21 academic session. The 2020-21 academic year consists of the Broad and Super-Specialities approved by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI).

As per para 6(2) of the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, "The Institution shall apply for recognition of the Post Graduate Medical qualification to the Central Government through the affiliating University when the first admitted batch shall be due to appear for the examination to be conducted by the affiliating University".

Given the COVID Pandemic, some medical colleges were inspected physically, some by virtual mode, and the rest had submitted sworn affidavits. 

Therefore, the apex medical regulator had noted that the system of physical inspection at the time of examination could not be followed as prescribed by the regulation and therefore, the process of recognition of new PG courses, recognition against the increased intake of PG courses and renewal of recognition of PG courses could not be completed.

In these circumstances, the National Medical Commission had allowed provisional recognition of all PG medical courses for a period of one year. It had additionally extended the duration for recognized postgraduate qualifications including recognition of or against increased intake or renewal of recognition of the academic year 2020-21.

Read Also: NMC grants Provisional Recognition to PG Medical Qualifications For 1 Year

At that time, the apex medical regulator had also directed the state medical councils to register all the PG courses which are shown as Permitted on the National Medical Commission (NMC) website and, PG students have passed during the academic year 2020-21.

However, now after the NMC came in receipt of a number of requests from State Medical Councils for knowing the status of recognition of seats which are shown as permitted on the NMC's website as mandated, it has directed them to register additional qualifications of the first four batches of PG degree courses and three batches of PG diploma courses admitted against the permitted seats.

"To facilitate the registration of additional qualification and mitigate the hardship being faced by the students, all the State Medical Councils may register the first four batches of PG degree courses and three batches of PG diploma courses admitted against the seats which are shown as permitted on NMC's website," stated the notification issued under the authority of Dr Vijay Oza, President of Postgraduate Medical Education Board of the NMC, PGMEB.

In this regard, the NMC mentioned that Para 6(2) of "Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000" provides for recognition in respect of the first four batches after starting of course /increased intake of seats in the Postgraduate Degree Courses and three batches of Postgraduate Diploma Courses.

"The recognition process in the current year is also in progress and may take some time," the NMC stated.

To view the official NMC notification, Click here