Only 3 CPS Diploma courses recognised, confirms Health Ministry

These three Diploma courses include the Diploma in Child Health (DCH), Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGO), and Diploma in Pathology and Bacteriology (DPB). These were also "included in the First Schedule of the erstwhile Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1956," stated the MoS Health.

Minister Pawar was replying to a series of questions in the Parliament related to the CPS courses, their recognition by the Union Health Ministry and the details of the Committee constituted to hand holding support to CPS and examine Minimum Standard Requirements (MSRs) and inspection mechanism.

Handholding to CPS Mumbai

College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Mumbai, CPS Mumbai, the autonomous body responsible for imparting PG medical education, was set up back in 1913. Located in Mumbai near KEM Hospital, CPS Mumbai offers several Fellowship programs, and Diploma and Certificate medical courses.

While responding to the questions in Parliament related to CPS Mumbai, Minister Pawar stated that a committee was constituted back on 17.01.2018 to provide handholding support to CPS, Mumbai. The Mandate of the Committee, as revealed by the MoS Health was,

(i) to examine the Minimum Standard Requirements (MSRs) of CPS, Mumbai for accreditation of participating Institutions,

(ii) to study the mechanism adopted by the CPS, Mumbai for inspection/certification of the Institute,

(iii) to study the possibilities for expanding CPS courses,

(iv) to study the mechanism to monitor the standard of CPS courses being run at the accredited institutions and mode of final examination and

(v) to study the nomenclature and curricula of the Diploma courses of the CPS, Mumbai.

"The Committee submitted the Report in February, 2019 which was sent to the erstwhile Board of Governors – Medical Council of India for examination. Subsequently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) was constituted with effect from 25th September 2020. Clause (i) of sub-section (1) of section 25 of the NMC Act, 2019 empowers the Post Graduate Medical Education Board of the NMC to grant recognition to the medical qualifications at the postgraduate and super-speciality levels," he said.

The questions were raised by Shri Sha. Bra. Dr. Jai Siddheshwar and Shivacharya Mahaswamiji.

Recognition of DNB, FNB and Diploma courses by NBE

The MPs also sought to know whether the post graduate courses offered by the National Board of Examination (NBE) New Delhi were also recommended by the erstwhile Medical Council of India and recognized by Union Health Ministry.

Responding to this, Minister Pawar informed the Lok Sabha, " The Union Government, after consultation with the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), recognized the Postgraduate courses of the National Board of Examinations(NBE) in 1983. Subsequently, additional DNB/FNB/Diploma courses started by the NBE have also been recognized by the Ministry vide Notification dated 03.08.2016 and 06.08.2020, after consulting the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), under Section 11(2) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956."

"Further, as per section 37(1) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the medical qualifications granted by the NBE are recognized medical qualifications for the purposes of the said Act," she clarified.