NMC Ends PG Diploma Courses: MD/MS to Be Only Path for Specialist Training from 2027

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced that postgraduate diploma courses in medical colleges will be phased out by the academic year 2026-27, making MD and MS degree programmes the sole route for specialist training from 2027-28 onwards. The directive, issued this week, requires all medical institutions to convert existing diploma seats into degree seats, aligning with the Commission's aim to standardise postgraduate medical education and enhance the quality of specialist training.

According to the NMC, the move is intended to align qualifications with current educational standards, improve recognition of specialist training, and make better use of existing infrastructure. Medical colleges have been instructed to apply for the conversion through the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB).

Traditional diploma courses—such as those in Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases, Public Health, and Medical Radiotherapy—are typically two years in duration, compared to the three-year MD/MS programmes. These diplomas have historically played a vital role in producing specialists for district hospitals and smaller towns, offering a quicker route into specialist practice.

Health experts have expressed caution about the policy's impact on rural and district-level healthcare. One expert noted, “We will have to assess the impact of the move on rural and district-level specialist availability. Traditional diplomas provided a quicker route to specialist training and supplied many doctors to smaller hospitals. The policy question now is whether converting all seats to MD/MS will improve quality without reducing the number of specialists available outside major cities.”

The NMC has defended the decision, stating that many institutions already have the faculty, clinical material, and facilities required to run MD/MS programmes. The phase-out process has been underway for several years, with earlier NMC regulations discouraging new diploma courses and encouraging conversions. The latest notification sets a firm deadline for the complete transition.

In a separate decision, the NMC has withdrawn its proposal to introduce a mandatory three-year rotational system for Heads of Departments (HoDs) in medical colleges. Instead, the existing merit-cum-seniority-based framework will be retained. This follows extensive stakeholder consultations, where a majority of medical colleges, academicians, and experts opposed fixed-term rotational leadership, citing concerns over disruption to academic administration, research activities, and regulatory compliance.

Of the 421 suggestions specifically related to HoD rotation, 249 opposed the move while 172 supported it. Critics argued that frequent leadership changes could disrupt academic planning, research, accreditation work, and compliance. They favoured appointments based on merit, administrative ability, teaching excellence, and research output rather than automatic rotation.