Over 2,300 CPS doctors protest in Mumbai over exams delay

Mumbai: Over 2,300 postgraduate medical doctors trained under the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), Mumbai, are facing uncertainty as their final examinations for specialist qualification have not been conducted for more than a year.

On March 5, 2026, a large group of affected doctors staged a peaceful protest at Azad Maidan, demanding that the state government and the medical education department conduct their long-delayed postgraduate examinations.

The protesting doctors said they have already completed their academic training and hospital postings, but remain unable to obtain their specialist qualifications because the final exams have not been held.

Also read- Relief for 852 CPS Mumbai Students: Centre allows 2 attempts to clear final exams

The issue began after the recognition of CPS diplomas and postgraduate programmes was withdrawn in 2022. However, students who had taken admission in the 2021–22 academic session through NEET-PG were allowed to continue their courses. Authorities had assured them that they would be able to complete the programme.

Many of these students have now completed their two-year training programmes. However, their final examinations have not been conducted since November 2024, leaving them without certificates and unable to practise as specialists.

Last year, the Bombay High Court passed an order cancelling the CPS recognition. Following this, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research stopped conducting further exams, leaving students who had already completed their courses but not taken the exams in a difficult situation.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Dharti Patel, a postgraduate student, said, "We completed our MBBS and secured admission through CPS. We have also finished our postgraduate training and were given an examination date in April. However, the Bombay High Court ruled that CPS cannot conduct admissions or grant degrees until further notice. Since then, we have been waiting, but the matter has not been resolved and we are currently in limbo. Three batches of students are affected and all of them are waiting. The matter is also pending before the Supreme Court. While the apex court has shown a positive response, the progress is slow and we are still unable to obtain our degrees."

The Association of CPS doctors which highlighted the matter stated that "At a time when India continues to face an acute shortage of specialist doctors, it is deeply concerning that thousands of trained doctors remain stuck in administrative and regulatory delays. Many of these doctors have already completed their hospital training and have been serving patients for years while waiting for their qualifying examinations."

"If the situation remains unresolved, it may compel doctors to intensify their efforts and bring the matter to national attention through further demonstrations and public engagement at larger platforms," the association said in a press note.

Dr Shivraj Ghogare, another PG student, told Medical Dialogues, "Most of the exam-waiting students were admitted in 2022 based on the NEET-PG 2021 merit list. As per the Government of India’s directions, the counselling and admission process was conducted by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), and we completed our two-year diploma course in 2024."

He further said that in October 2024, the final exam was conducted, and around 50% of the students passed and are now working as specialists after receiving their additional qualification registration. However, the remaining students from the same batch who could not pass by a few marks, or could not appear due to personal reasons such as pregnancy or childcare, are still waiting for the next exam.

Because NEET-PG 2021 was postponed twice due to COVID-19 and the re-exam has still not been conducted, he added that "a two-year diploma course has now stretched from 2021 to 2026, creating serious academic and professional difficulties for us."

Background

The Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) derecognised all the courses offered by CPS on August 16, 2024, on the grounds of failure to comply with the regulatory mechanism under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. The show-cause notice stated that the CPS, Mumbai considered itself an examination-like body National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) having authority to give medical qualification. However, it pointed out that while National Board is a government organisation under the NMC Act, CPS is a non-government organisation having no authority to permit or recognise any course of qualification run by any hospital or to conduct examination or award degree.

Earlier in 2025, the Bombay High Court dismissed the plea filed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) challenging the derecognition of many postgraduate diploma courses that were deleted from the schedule of the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), 1965.

On the same day, the High Court bench had allowed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging permission given to CPS to conduct 10 additional PG courses. The PIL was filed before the High Court by a Mumbai-based doctor, Suhas Pingle.

In the order, the HC bench had also mentioned that the decision taken by the NMC Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) in its July and August 2024 meetings also warranted no interference since it was founded in the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSMER-2023) "to ensure higher standards of medical education across the country".

However, the bench had mentioned that if CPS were compliant with regulatory norms for maintaining standards in medical education, on ensuring compliance with permission sought under the NMC Act, 2019, it may be able to start the courses, in the prescribed manner.

Following this, the matter came for consideration before the Supreme Court in 2025. The Attorney General for India had informed the Apex Court that a viable solution would be arrived at to secure the future of students after the Bombay High Court upheld the derecognition of all PG medical courses offered by CPS Mumbai. Taking note of the issue, the Supreme Court on September 12 requested the intervention of the Attorney General for India to arrive at a viable solution in this regard.

Later, the Central Government agreed before the Supreme Court to grant such students two final opportunities to clear their final examinations. This relief will apply to 852 students of CPS Mumbai, and after clearing their final examinations, they will also be enrolled with the State and National Medical Councils.

Also read- CPS Derecognition issue reaches parliament, govt cites NMC Act