HC seeks Centre, NMC response on plea to restore respiratory medicine in MBBS

In a previous hearing in 2024, the court asked the NMC why the subject was removed, pointing out that this could affect healthcare delivery, the training of medical staff, and the availability of respiratory medicine departments at 706 medical colleges across India.

Also read- What Will Happen if Respiratory Medicine Dept Goes Away from 706 Medical Colleges? HC to decide on NMC Decision

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Bombay High Court questioned the NMC on why the Respiratory Medicine Department was removed from the MBBS curriculum.

In 2023, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) removed three departments- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), Respiratory Medicine, and Emergency Medicine from the list of departments that every medical college/institution must have to be approved for undergraduate medical admissions on an annual basis. The provision for a separate department for respiratory medicine is also absent in the newly released Competency-Based Medical Education 2024 guidelines.

Even though the respiratory medicine specialists had approached different authorities urging them to change this decision, they did not get any respite and decided to pursue the legal remedy. Accordingly, the Indian Chest Society (ICS) filed a Public Interest Litigation in this regard before the Bombay High Court. Apart from ICS, the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is also a petitioner in this case.

During the hearing of the case in 2024, the Apex Medical Commission informed the bench that these subjects will now be included as part of General Medicine. However, the Court underlined the importance of Respiratory Medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and questioned the NMC's decision to eliminate the course. Further, the HC bench also questioned the justification of including such an important topic in General Medicine.

According to the Indian Chest Society, India is witnessing a rapid and sustained rise in respiratory illnesses, driven by worsening air pollution, occupational exposures, tobacco use, and recurrent respiratory infections. Conditions such as asthma, COPD, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and pollution-related lung disease now constitute a major share of outpatient visits, emergency admissions, and preventable deaths.

The organisation said that at a time when respiratory disease burden is increasing, formal and structured training in respiratory medicine at the MBBS level has been diluted by the removal of the subject from the MBBS curriculum, leaving many young doctors insufficiently equipped to recognise, manage, and appropriately treat common and life-threatening lung conditions.

Commenting on the matter, Dr Neel Thakkar, Vadodara-based pulmonologist and a governing body member of the Indian Chest Society, said, "Strengthening respiratory medicine training at the undergraduate level is not about speciality expansion—it is about public safety, early diagnosis, and better outcomes for millions of Indians."

ICS mentioned that MBBS doctors form the backbone of India’s healthcare system, especially in primary and district-level care, and their ability to manage respiratory diseases effectively is essential in an era of escalating air pollution and climate-related health risks.

"We remain hopeful that the forthcoming concluding hearing on 13 February 2026 will be a start to constructive, evidence-based reforms in medical education, aligned with India’s current public-health realities. A stronger MBBS curriculum today will save lives tomorrow," Dr Thakkar added. 

Also read- Amidst Air Pollution Crisis, Indian Chest Society slams NMC for Removing Respiratory Medicine