NMC clarifies thesis requirement; students can appear for final exams without HoD's approval on dissertation

NEW DELHI: The Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a clarification regarding the submission of dissertations and thesis. The NMC letter clarified that PG medical students will not be barred from appearing in their final examinations if they have not yet obtained approval for their dissertation or thesis from the Head of Department (HoD).

The clarification, outlined in the NMC letter dated August 28, 2024, addresses concerns raised by medical colleges and institutions about the mandatory nature of thesis approval for final examinations.

NMC’s clarification on thesis submission requirement

The NMC's letter follows a public notice released on June 13, 2024, which had initially set a deadline for completing the final examination by December 31, 2024. The subsequent confusion surrounding the necessity of thesis submission led to an online meeting held on July 31, 2024. During this meeting, stakeholders, including representatives from various health universities, discussed the issues related to the thesis submission as a prerequisite for appearing in the final examination for the PG Broad Specialty batch of 2021.

The NMC letter reads, "It was clarified during this meeting that as the agenda of the meeting was on the scheduling of examinations, therefore, the issue of the thesis may be decided according to the provisions of PGMER-2023. Subsequently, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, in a letter dated 01-08-2024 and other stakeholders have sought clarification on this matter."

Dissertation requirements in PGMER-23

In response to these concerns, the NMC referred to the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (PGMER-23), which were officially published on January 1, 2024. The regulations provide clear guidelines regarding the role of the dissertation or thesis in the examination process. Regulation 5.2 (ii) mandates that all broad specialty and super specialty students are required to undertake thesis-related research and write a thesis.

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Dissertation accounts for 5% of total practical marks

As per the NMC letter, Regulation 8.4 details that the dissertation or thesis will contribute 5% of the total marks for the clinical, practical and viva voice examinations. This translates to 20 marks out of the total marks for these components. The NMC letter read, “External examiner outside the state will evaluate dissertation/ thesis and take viva voce on it and marks will be given on quality of dissertation/thesis and performance on its viva voce.”

HOD’s approval on thesis not mandatory for final exams

The key takeaway from the NMC's clarification is that students will not be prohibited from appearing for their final examinations if they have not yet gotten HoD's approval for their dissertation or thesis. Instead, the dissertation will contribute a fixed percentage of marks to the clinical, practical and viva voce exams, ensuring that it is an integral but not sole determinant of examination eligibility.