Will NMC's MBBS student feedback system improve medical education quality? Here's what doctors say

New Delhi: The online feedback system for MBBS students, which was recently introduced by the National Medical Commission (NMC) to collect inputs regarding the quality of medical education across medical colleges, has been welcomed by the members of the medical fraternity.

For a long time, doctors have been raising alarm on the rapidly increasing number of medical colleges and the quality of medical education in those institutions. Amid this, doctors have welcomed the decision to make students a part of the assessment process by considering their feedback.

However, at the same time, they have expressed their concerns regarding the success of such a move.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NMC had introduced the online Student Feedback Form for MBBS students to gather anonymous and confidential feedback on various aspects of medical colleges across the country, and also on the medical education experience of the students in their respective institutes. The students have been asked to wholeheartedly participate in filling out the Online "Student Feedback Form" and submit valuable feedback.

Also Read: NMC launches online feedback form for MBBS students to assess medical education quality

The aspects as listed by the apex medical commission include Quality of Teaching, Faculty Availability, Clinical Training, Labs, Dissection Halls ad Practical Training, Community Medicine and Rural Training, Ragging & Student Safety, Campus Culture, as well as Student Welfare, Anti-Ragging Measures & Grievance Redressal, Mental Health Support, Extracurricular Activities, Curriculum, College Administration & Governance, etc.

While the doctors have welcomed the decision, they have also expressed their doubts regarding the effectiveness of the initiative. Dr. Deshmukh opined that the success of this initiative will depend on how effectively the feedback is acted upon. "It is important that every response whether positive or critical is taken seriously and leads to visible improvements. Ensuring confidentiality and building trust will be essential so that students can share their views without hesitation," he added.

"The decision highlights a forward-thinking vision by the Government and the NMC towards building a more responsive and student-centric medical education framework. This is a much-needed and timely step. For a long time, students have had limited formal avenues to express their concerns or share constructive suggestions about their training. By opening this channel, the NMC has acknowledged that students are key stakeholders in medical education. From our perspective, this system has strong potential to improve the quality of teaching, clinical exposure, and the overall academic environment in medical colleges. Students experience the system firsthand, and their feedback can highlight practical issues that may not always reach administrative levels," said Dr. Indranil Deshmukh, the National Secretary of IMA-JDN.

A similar opinion was expressed by Dr. Rohan Krishnan, a health activist and Chief Patron of FAIMA Doctors Association. "The introduction of a structured feedback mechanism for MBBS students by the National Medical Commission is a welcome and much-needed reform in Indian medical education. For the first time, it formally acknowledges the student as a stakeholder in shaping the quality of medical training. From FAIMA’s perspective, this initiative has the potential to significantly improve teaching standards, institutional accountability, and learning environments across medical colleges. However, its success will depend not merely on data collection, but on the credibility of the process and the willingness of the regulator to act on the feedback received," he said.

"It is crucial to ensure that the system guarantees true anonymity and protects students from any form of academic or professional retaliation. Without this assurance, the feedback risks becoming superficial and non-representative. Additionally, FAIMA believes that feedback outcomes must be meaningfully linked to institutional assessment, including accreditation, inspections, and corrective actions. Transparency in aggregated findings will further enhance trust in the system," Dr. Krishnan further added.

He also emphasized the need to sensitize both students and faculty—students to provide responsible, objective feedback, and faculty to view feedback as a tool for improvement rather than criticism.

"In its current form, the system is a strong step forward. With robust safeguards, transparent implementation, and firm regulatory action, it can evolve into a transformative instrument for improving medical education in India," he opined.

Similarly, Dr. Meet Ghonia, the National General Secretary of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) also expressed that the success of the initiative will depend on proper implementation - especially ensuring anonymity, preventing misuse, and taking timely action on feedback.

"If handled sincerely, it can be effective; otherwise, it may remain only a formality," he said. 

While welcoming the NMC move, Dr. Lakshya Mittal, the Chairperson of the United Doctors Front (UDF), described it as a useful step toward improving the quality of medical education. However, he also expressed dismay that the transparency provisions of the 'NMC Act, 2019'—enacted by Parliament specifically to curb the arbitrary conduct of medical colleges—are being disregarded.

"According to this law, it is mandatory to publicly disclose full details regarding the assessment and rating of all medical colleges on the website. The objective behind this was to prevent accreditation scams driven by the submission of false information. Unless these provisions are fully complied with, any feedback system remains futile and merely a sham," he said.

Stressing on the importance to make the assessment reports public, he added, "Several provisions within the NMC Act, 2019, mandate the public disclosure of all information pertaining to medical colleges. Section 24 of the UG Board and Section 25 of the PG Board provide for the annual disclosure of college-related information to ensure that students have access to complete details. Furthermore, Section 26 of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board mandates the public disclosure of all such reports on the website. A similar provision applicable to all medical colleges is outlined in Section 48. The NMC has been entrusted with a specific obligation in this regard under Section 57. Although the law repeatedly emphasizes the continuous uploading of college-related documents to the website, the reality is quite different; far from uploading them, an arbitrary rule has been established to even restrict the disclosure of such information in response to RTI (Right to Information) requests. Had these documents been made public in accordance with the parliamentary legislation, the fraudulent practices surrounding medical college accreditation would not have been so easy to perpetrate."

"In its 14th meeting held on May 1, 2024, the NMC took the decision that the 'Standard Assessment Forms' would not be made public. In its order dated April 9, 2024, the Central Information Commission issued clear directives mandating that the assessment reports of all medical colleges be uploaded to the website. However, instead of complying with this order, the NMC passed a resolution during its meeting prohibiting the uploading of these reports to the website as well as their disclosure under the RTI Act. Such tampering with a law enacted by Parliament constitutes a mockery of the Constitution and a grave offense," he further mentioned.

Also Read: Make medical college assessment reports public: NMC receives deadline from CIC