NMC clarifies on medical qualification regulations 2023 for MBBS, PG courses; answers FAQs

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has answered some frequently asked questions for the commission’s Recognition of Medical Qualification Regulations 2023 and Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations (MSMER) 2023. While answering the questions, which are available on its website, the commission cleared that the answers are for the understanding of general public and cannot be upheld in a court of law.

As per NMC, the MSMER 2023 are applicable from September 19, 2023 while the recognition regulations came into force with effect from December 29, 2023. The regulations apply to all medical colleges and students studying in the medical institutes for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Talking about the implications of the recognition regulations, the commission said: “Recognition means ‘recognition of the degree/ qualification awarded to already permitted seats in a given college under its affiliated university’.” However, all medical colleges will have to follow the guidelines under MSMER to continue the recognition, it cleared.

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NMC further defined accreditation and recognition; and informed that the list of recognized qualifications to practice allopath in India will be available in chapter 2; Clause 5 of the recognition regulations.

Annual report by medical colleges

Coming to MSMER, the commission informed that the colleges will have to submit the annual disclosure report as per notifications from the medical boards from time to time. The boards may seek additional information from the colleges or the agencies controlling them as and when required for assessment or other purposes, it added.

The UGMEB or PGMEB may seek information related to verification of physical infrastructure, availability of required number of qualified faculty for actual teaching, research and to undertake necessary student learning activities on a regular and continued basis, availability of adequate clinical material in terms of number of patients of different specialties, variety of patients to fulfill all round training of students, number of variety of procedures, surgeries, laboratory investigations, radiological investigations and other relevant investigations, assessment of the teaching methodology, methods and modes of assessment, grading of the students, and review of feedback from students.

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NMC said that the medical colleges should be ready with the information once the medical student batch is admitted and should not take more than a month from the date of communication to submit the info.

“Failure in submission of such information or data due to any reason shall be deemed as non-compliance with the Regulations and shall attract penalty. However remedial measures or actions may be contemplated upon by the concerned Board after joint meetings with other Boards/ NMC and such action shall be intimated to the medical college/ institution within a period of 3 weeks,” NMC warned.

However, if the medical colleges are successfully meeting all the requirements, then the medical board will provide a renewal certificate for continuation of courses and admission of students, NMC further iterated.