Major decision by NMC: Medical PG diploma courses to be discontinued after 2026-27; to be converted into MD/MS seats..

Medical PG Diploma Courses: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has taken a major decision regarding postgraduate medical education in the country. The Commission has clarified that the 2026-27 academic session will be the final year for admissions into postgraduate (PG) diploma medical courses. Thereafter, no new admissions will be accepted for these courses starting from the 2027-28 session.

In a public notice issued on June 22, the Commission stated that all PG diploma courses would be phased out and converted into corresponding broad-specialty degree courses—namely MD (Doctor of Medicine) and MS (Master of Surgery).

**Directives to Medical Colleges for Seat Conversion**
The NMC’s ​​Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) has instructed medical colleges to initiate the process of converting seats from their diploma courses to MD/MS seats. To do this, colleges must apply to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB).

The Commission announced that the MARB would soon launch a dedicated online portal for this process. The application deadline and detailed guidelines will be issued separately.

**Necessary Resources Already Available in Many Colleges**
According to the NMC, many medical colleges across the country currently run both diploma and degree courses in the same subject, while some institutions offer only diploma programs. The Commission believes that these institutions already possess the requisite infrastructure, faculty, and clinical facilities to easily conduct degree courses.

However, approval for seat conversion will be granted only if the respective institutions meet the standards and requirements prescribed by the NMC.

**Why Was This Decision Taken?**
The Commission states that the objective of this move is to standardize postgraduate medical education across the country. Key goals also include strengthening the recognition of specialized medical training and ensuring that qualifications align with current academic standards.

The NMC believes this will lead to better utilization of the existing capacity of medical institutions and facilitate a more systematic approach to training specialist doctors in the future. 

Notification sent to states and universities as well.
The Commission has forwarded this notification to all medical colleges under the NMC, state medical education departments, and universities for compliance. Additionally, the concerned institutions have been instructed to take the necessary action in a timely manner.

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