NMC removes cap on MBBS seats, eases population norm
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 30.04.2026
New Delhi : In a significant policy shift, National Medical Commission (NMC) has removed key restrictions on expansion of MBBS seats, opening the door for a substantial increase in undergraduate medical seats across the country. In a gazette notification issued on April 27, NMC amended its 2023 regulations governing new medical colleges and expansion of existing courses. The amendment deletes a clause that capped total number of MBBS seats at 150 per college for those seeking expansion from 2024–25 academic year.
Colleges seeking to increase intake will no longer be bound by this upper limit. The commission has also removed the requirement that states maintain a ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population.
In another change, NMC has revised norms related to the distance between a medical college and its teaching hospital. Instead of a traveltime cap of 30 minutes, the rules now prescribe a maximum distance of 10 km. For northeastern and Himalayan states, the limit has been relaxed to 15 km.
The amendments have been notified under NMC Act, 2019, and apply to both Undergraduate Medical Education Board’s seat expansion guidelines and Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023. The move is expected to benefit both govt and private medical colleges looking to scale up capacity, particularly in states where demand for seats continues to outstrip supply, while placing the onus on regulators to maintain quality and infrastructure standards.
Commission’s nod to cardiology diploma after years of wait
New Delhi : In a move that resolves a long-standing regulatory impasse, National Medical Commission has granted recognition to Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC), effectively validating the degrees of around 1,700 doctors who completed the course between 2006 and 2013. The programme, run by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), was effectively shut down after 2013 following its non-recognition by erstwhile Medical Council of India. The decision, announced by Indian Association of Clinical Cardiologists on Tuesday, is also being seen as a step towards addressing shortage of cardiology specialists in underserved regions. The move comes against the backdrop of cardiovascular disease accounting for nearly 28% of deaths in India, even as access to specialists remains skewed towards cities. TNN
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