The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced that the academic year 2026-27 will be the last year for admission to postgraduate diploma medical courses, setting the stage for a transition to specialist diploma training across the country.In a notice issued on June 22, the commission directed medical colleges running post-graduate degree programs to start the process of converting those seats into corresponding Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS) seats.
Admission to the degree will stop after 2026-27
The move follows a public notice issued by the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), which said no admissions will be allowed to postgraduate diploma courses from the academic year 2027-28 onwards. Existing degree courses will cease to function thereafter.The commission said many institutions currently run degree and diploma courses in the same specialty, while others continue to offer only diploma programs. According to the regulator, many of these colleges already have the infrastructure, faculty and clinical resources needed for diploma courses.“All Post Graduate Diploma courses will be phased out, and converted into Broad Specialty (MD/MS) Post Graduate Degree courses,” the public notice said.
Colleges are required to apply for conversion
Medical colleges intending to convert degree seats into degree seats have to apply to the Medical Assessment and Evaluation Board (MARB) through a dedicated online portal to be launched by the board. Detailed timings and application procedures will be issued separately.The NMC said that approval for the conversion will depend on whether the institutions meet the standards and requirements prescribed by the commission from time to time.
Why the change?
The regulator said the decision is aimed at standardizing postgraduate medical education, improving the recognition of specialized training and aligning qualifications with current educational standards. He also expects the move to make better use of existing institutional capacity.The notification has been sent to all medical colleges under the NMC, state medical education departments and universities for compliance.
