NEET PG: Rajasthan HC relief to doctor denied admission over permanent registration certificate Written By : Barsha Misra

NEET PG: Rajasthan HC relief to doctor denied admission over permanent registration certificate Written By : Barsha Misra

Published On 4 Apr 2026 3:17 PM  |  Updated On 4 Apr 2026 3:17 PM

Rajasthan High Court  06.04.2026

Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court provided relief to a NEET PG 2025 candidate who was earlier denied postgraduate medical admission due to the lack of a Permanent Registration Certificate.

Referring to Rule 8(3) of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, the HC bench comprising Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati clarified that as per these regulations, candidates are given a period of one month after admission for obtaining permanent registration and when the law provides a period of one month, the State Government cannot impose a more stringent condition through the information booklet.

The bench clarified that administrative instructions or information bulletins cannot weaken or repeal any statutory rule and directed the college to grant her admission.

As per the latest media report by Live Law, the concerned petitioner in this case obtained a temporary registration from the Chhattisgarh Medical Council after completing MBBS and was performing the necessary service for permanent registration. However, during this time, the petitioner appeared in the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025 examination and was allotted a medical college.

When the petitioner reported to the college, admission was denied on the grounds that the petitioner did not have a permanent registration certificate.

While considering the matter, the bench cited Rule 8(3) of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 and observed, "This provision has been made with the objective that meritorious students who are in the registration process at that time should not face unnecessary hardship."

In this regard, the bench clarified that when the law itself provides a periof of one month, the State Government impose a more stringent condition through the information booklet.

Terming this move of the State as arbitrary and against the law, the bench said that it was wrong to deny admission only based on lack of certificate. Accordingly, the bench issued directions to the State Government to grant immediate admission to the petitioner.

NMC allows inclusion of seats for counselling without formal nods

 NMC allows inclusion of seats for counselling without formal nods 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 01.04.2026

New Delhi : In a move that could ease anxiety for thousands of medical aspirants, National Medical Commission (NMC) has allowed newly approved super-specialty postgraduate seats to be included in counselling process without waiting for final approval letters. For students, this means faster counselling, fewer delays and greater clarity on available seats. The regulator has said that seats cleared by its First Appeal Committee will be treated as valid for the ongoing counselling process, removing a key procedural hurdle that often slows down admissions. 

The decision comes at a crucial stage of the admission cycle, when delays in approvals typically hold up seat allocation and leave candidates uncertain about their options. Under the latest directive, counselling authorities can now include these seats on the basis of the approved list, instead of waiting for formal Letters of Permission (LoPs) from institutions. The order follows appeals filed by medical colleges against earlier seat allocations, which were reviewed and cleared by First Appeal Committee under provisions of the NMC Act. 

The seats cover high-demand super-specialties such as cardiology, neurology, nephrology, urology and gastroenterology, across medical colleges in several states. NMC has directed all state authorities and counselling bodies, including Medical Counselling Committee, to update their seat matrix and proceed with admissions, ensuring that the counselling process continues without procedural hold-ups

NMC seeks anonymous feedback from MBBS students on teaching, training and campus support

 NMC seeks anonymous feedback from MBBS students on teaching, training and campus support

The NMC Secretary said an online “student feedback form” is being sought from Undergraduate Medical Students of Medical Colleges and Institutions under the purview of NMC.

Kavita Bajeli-Datt

Updated on:

29 Mar 2026, 5:00 pm

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sought feedback from MBBS students on various aspects of their medical education, including the quality of their lectures, faculty availability, clinical training, patient exposure, anti-ragging measures, student safety, and mental health support on their campuses.

The NMC has promised that these responses will be anonymous and confidential, and that they are being sought for academic review and quality improvement purposes.

In an advisory, NMC Secretary, Dr Raghav Langer, said an online “student feedback form” is being sought from Undergraduate Medical Students of Medical Colleges and Institutions under the purview of NMC.

“This feedback aims to gather your valuable anonymous feedback on various aspects of your medical College and medical education experience,” the advisory, dated March 26, said.

The form covers aspects such as quality of teaching and lectures, faculty availability and adequacy, clinical training and patient exposure, labs, dissection halls and practical training, community medicine and rural training, ragging and student safety, campus culture/student welfare, anti-ragging measures and grievance redressal, mental health support, extracurricular activities, curriculum, college administration and governance, etc.

“Your response will be anonymous and confidential. The feedback is being collected solely for internal academic review and quality improvement purposes,” said the advisory, addressed to all states, deans of all medical colleges, the medical education department of the Union Health Ministry, among others.

The online form can be accessed through the NMC website.

The NMC requested the MBBS students to “wholeheartedly participate in filling the online student feedback form.”

Speaking with this paper, Kerala-based RTI activist, KV Babu, said, “Getting feedback from the students is a welcome move. But the track record of NMC regarding follow-up action based on feedback is not very convincing. Few years back, NMC had done a survey about stipend for interns and PGs without any follow-up action. They didn't even disclose the names of medical colleges which took back the stipend from PGs.”

Fake FMGE certificate scam in Chhattisgarh? 3,000 doctors under medical council, NMC, DME scanner

MEDICAL DIALOGUE

Fake FMGE certificate scam in Chhattisgarh? 3,000 doctors under medical council, NMC, DME scanner 

Written By : Adity SahaPublished On 30 Mar 2026 2:12 PM  |  Updated On 30 Mar 2026 2:12 PM

Raipur: A suspected fake Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) certificate scam has come under the scanner as the certificates of over 3000 foreign-trained doctors in Chhattisgarh who obtained their MBBS degrees from countries in Central and East Asia are going to be investigated by the Chhattisgarh Medical Council with the support of the National Medical Commission and the state Directorate of Medical Education.

The investigation has been called after the authorities detected alleged irregularities in their qualifications and in the clearance of the Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) examination.

The FMGE, conducted by the National Board of Examinations, is a mandatory screening test for Indian students who complete their MBBS abroad and want to practice in India.

After clearing the FMGE, such graduates are required to complete a one-year compulsory internship at a recognised government medical college or hospital. They are then granted registration by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for practice in India.

The suspicion came to light after officials found several foreign medical graduates using suspected forged FMGE certificates to secure internships in government hospitals across different states.

Medical Dialogues had reported that the Rajasthan Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested 18 people, including a former registrar of the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC), for allegedly helping unqualified candidates with registrations and internships with forged documents.

Among those arrested are the former RMC registrar and the former nodal officer. They were taken into custody along with 15 candidates who had obtained MBBS degrees from abroad but failed to clear the mandatory Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), which is required to practise in India, and thereby obtained fake certificates to practise here.

Additional Director General (SOG) Vishal Bansal alleged that the former RMC registrar is the key accused in the case. The accused used fake FMGE certificates to obtain provisional registrations from the council and secured internships in hospitals, by passing mandatory verification checks.

Preliminary findings suggest that each candidate paid between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 25 lakh to be part of the racket. Out of this, around Rs 11 lakh per candidate was allegedly paid to RMC officials and staff, while the rest was shared among middlemen and agents.

In the past year, both the Chhattisgarh Medical Council (CMC) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) noticed serious gaps in the clinical knowledge of some foreign medical graduates during their internships in government hospitals across the state. According to officials, some interns had poor understanding of basic medical subjects, and a few could not even identify commonly used surgical instruments.

Following these revelations, the Chhattisgarh Medical Council (CMC), along with the National Medical Commission (NMC), launched a large-scale verification drive. They will now examine FMGE certificates, mark sheets and internship records of over 3,000 doctors across states.

Speaking to The Hitavada, CMC Vice-President Dr Vivek Choudhary said, "The council has launched a detailed verification exercise with the support of the NMC and the state Directorate of Medical Education. Authorities are currently scrutinising mark sheets, internship records and FMGE certificates of foreign medical graduates across the state as a part of the ongoing investigation."

Registrar of the CMC, Dr Rupal Purohit, said, "The situation is alarming as several graduates had allegedly not attended regular physical classes at their foreign medical institutions for extended periods. In some cases, degrees were reportedly completed largely through online examinations. Even among those who attended classes abroad, attendance levels were found to be extremely poor, with some students reportedly attending lectures only once or twice a week."

52 NEET PG seats lying vacant after med counselling

52 NEET PG seats lying vacant after med counselling

Hemanta Pradhan

Mar 21, 2026, 22:38 IST. ODISHA

52 NEET PG seats lying vacant after med counselling Bhubaneswar: After medical counselling for NEET PG seats got over, 52 out of 615 PG seats are lying vacant in different medical colleges of the state because there are fewer candidates for non-clinical subjects compared to clinical subjects. Dr Jyotish Chandra Choudhury, head of the FMT department, SCB Medical College and Hospital, who looks after the counselling part of NEET PG seats in Odisha, said around 52 medical PG seats are lying vacant in both govt and private medical colleges."After the counselling is over, we have submitted the vacancy data to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC)," he added. According to a Rajya Sabha reply from the ministry of health and family welfare on March 17, as many as 1,140 PG medical seats are lying vacant across medical colleges in the country after the counselling got over. The ministry said the qualifying percentile was reduced to ensure that valuable PG medical seats do not remain vacant. But the seats did not fill up this year too. Though the reply did not have a reason for this vacancy, experts said candidates mostly choose clinical subjects, including radiology, dermatology, general medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, and general surgery. 

Many of the candidates who receive good ranks in NEET PG do not prefer non-clinical subjects like anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and pathology. "Many candidates want clinical subjects so that they can contribute in a big way to the treatment of patients. They can also get the opportunity to earn a good amount of money in these clinical subjects," said a doctor from SCB Medical College and Hospital. MCC under the Directorate General of Health Services handles counselling for 50 % of All India Quota seats and 100% of seats in Central and Deemed Universities. State govts conduct counselling for state quota seats, while state counselling authorities also handle private medical college admissions.

NMC proposes mandatory corpus fund for medical colleges; incomplete applications to be rejected

NMC proposes mandatory corpus fund for medical colleges; incomplete applications to be rejected

Anuja JaiswalTNN

Feb 23, 2026, 8:08 IST

NEW DELHI: In a bid to tighten the noose on regulatory compliance in medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed making a dedicated corpus fund mandatory for new and recently operational medical colleges, while warning that incomplete applications will be rejected outright. Under draft amendments issued this week to the 2023 regulations governing establishment and expansion of medical institutions, any entity seeking to open a new medical college will have to submit an undertaking confirming that it will maintain a dedicated corpus fund exclusively for the functioning of the institution.

The amount will be determined later by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) and may be revised from time to time. The provision also refers to already operational colleges. Dr MK Ramesh, president of the MARB told TOI that the earlier regulation had mentioned a corpus fund but did not specify any amount, making it difficult to enforce. Instead of deleting the clause, the Commission chose to retain it by seeking an undertaking from colleges, with the exact amount to be fixed after due deliberation. While the wording includes existing institutions, the intent is largely to ensure financial safeguards for new and recently opened colleges. 

Once decided, the corpus amount will be uniform. The draft also marks a clear shift toward stricter scrutiny of applications. It clarifies that under the NMC Act, a “scheme” is valid only when an application is complete with all mandatory documents. In the past, some applicants submitted incomplete proposals and later sought additional time — or court intervention — to furnish missing documents. The amendment aims to end that practice by stating that incomplete applications will be rejected at the outset, without further opportunity. 

Mandatory documents include a valid Essentiality Certificate from the concerned state or Union Territory government, a valid Consent of Affiliation from a recognised university, and a solvency certificate issued by a chartered accountant within 90 days prior to the application deadline. The regulator has also empowered itself to withhold processing or reject applications for new schemes or seat increases for specific academic years. In a strong compliance warning, the draft states that any attempt to pressurize MARB or the NMC through individuals or agencies could lead to immediate halt or rejection of the application. India has witnessed rapid expansion in medical colleges and seats over the past decade. 

While the growth has improved access to medical education, concerns about infrastructure gaps, faculty shortages and financial sustainability have persisted. By mandating a corpus fund and eliminating room for incomplete proposals, the NMC appears to be signalling that future expansion must be backed by financial preparedness and full regulatory compliance. 

The draft amendments have been opened for public consultation for 30 days, after which the Commission will decide on finalising the revised rules.

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms; check new requirements here

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms; check new requirements here 

The National Medical Commission has released updated Minimum Standards of Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses, 2023, effective immediately. These revised rules mandate enhanced infrastructure, digital integration, stricter faculty attendance, and improved patient load requirements for all medical colleges. The changes aim to elevate the quality of postgraduate medical education across India.

TOI Education

Mar 22, 2026, 12:01 IST

NMC tightens grip on PG medical courses with revised norms The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a fresh notice announcing changes to the Minimum Standards of Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses, 2023. The updated rules have come into effect immediately and all medical colleges must follow them. The notice was issued by the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), which works under the NMC and is responsible for setting rules for postgraduate medical education in India. 

What is this notice about 

The notice updates the existing Post-Graduate Minimum Standards of Requirements (PGMSR), 2023. These standards define what medical colleges need to have in order to start and run postgraduate medical courses. This includes rules related to infrastructure, faculty, hospital facilities, equipment and patient load. The standards were earlier released in January 2024 and updated in August 2024 and January 2025. Now, another amendment has been issued in February 2026. 

Key message from NMC

All medical colleges and institutions offering postgraduate medical courses must follow the updated rules from now on. There is no transition period. The changes apply immediately. What has changed: Explained simply

Basic hospital and infrastructure requirements Medical colleges must have proper hospital buildings and facilities as per government rules. This includes outpatient departments, inpatient wards, operation theatres, Intensive Care Units (ICU), laboratories and emergency services. All required approvals from authorities must already be in place.

Equipment and learning facilities Departments must have modern equipment and proper training facilities. Colleges must also provide digital libraries, seminar halls and internet access. Teaching rooms with audio visual facilities are now mandatory for each department.

Patient load requirement Hospitals must have enough patients for proper training. At least 80 percent of hospital beds should be occupied throughout the year Departments must have enough ICU and High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds Patient records must be maintained digitally

Faculty rules All faculty members must work full time and cannot do private practice during working hours. They must have at least 75 percent attendance in a year.

New monitoring measures CCTV cameras must be installed in medical colleges Attendance of staff must be recorded digitally through Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) Colleges must maintain proper patient data and hospital records

Mandatory college website details Every medical college must have a website and regularly update it. The website should include List of departments, PG courses and number of seats, Faculty details of last three years, Student admission details, Patient attendance and bed occupancy, Number of surgeries performed.

Bed and department requirements Standalone postgraduate institutes must have at least 220 beds and certain compulsory departments like: Biochemistry Pathology Microbiology Radio diagnosis Anaesthesiology

New digital health integration Colleges must link their systems with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and generate ABHA IDs for patients.

Limit on PG seats In non government medical colleges, a maximum of four seats will be allowed per year when starting a new postgraduate course or increasing intake.

Workload requirements for training The notice also sets clear rules for clinical workload. For example minimum number of patients per day, minimum surgeries per week, required number of X-rays, CT scans and other tests, specific workload targets for departments like pathology, microbiology and radiology. These ensure students get enough practical exposure during training.

Faculty to student ratio The number of teachers required depends on the number of students. For example: Professor can guide 2 to 3 students Associate Professor can guide 2 students Assistant Professor can guide 1 student

Limits on units and beds 

Each department can have a maximum of six units and each unit can have up to 40 beds. Read the official notice here. The new rules focus on improving quality in postgraduate medical education by ensuring better infrastructure, enough patients for training, stricter monitoring and proper faculty availability. Medical colleges across India are now required to immediately follow these updated standards.

Ongole Medical College Fined Rs 1 Crore by NMC

Ongole Medical College Fined Rs 1 Crore by NMC 

DC Correspondent 15 March 2026 8:35 PM 

Penalty for failing to disclose stipend details of MBBS interns and PG residents

National Medical Commission acts against Ongole Medical College over stipend rule violations. 

Nellore: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has imposed a Rs 1 crore penalty on Government Medical College, Ongole, in Prakasam district for failing to comply with its directions on disclosure and payment of stipends to MBBS interns and postgraduate medical residents.

The action follows an NMC public notice issued on July 11, 2025, directing all medical colleges to publish details of stipends paid to interns and PG residents on their official websites to ensure transparency and uniformity.

According to the commission, the Ongole medical college was among seven institutions across the country that failed to furnish the required information despite repeated reminders, thereby violating provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and related regulations.

The NMC stated that continued non-compliance with stipend payment and disclosure norms could invite further regulatory action, including restrictions on admissions, suspension of permissions, or other disciplinary measures.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )

India is adding NEET PG seats fast: Why are thousands going vacant?

India is adding NEET PG seats fast: Why are thousands going vacant? 

India is creating more NEET PG seats than ever, but a stubborn question keeps returning: why do so many still go vacant? 

Rajya Sabha data shows a sharp rise in postgraduate seat addition alongside a persistent trail of empty seats. The result is a medical education system expanding rapidly, yet unable to make a significant slice of its specialist seats worth taking.

Saswati SarkarTOI Education

Mar 13, 2026, 18:55 IST

Thousands of NEET PG seats go empty. 

The Centre has recently released fresh figures showing a major expansion in medical education. The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on March 10 that 43 new medical colleges had been set up for the 2025–26 academic year and 11,682 MBBS seats and 8,967 postgraduate seats had been approved throughout the country.That’s 20,649 seats in total. 

The postgraduate number, the ministry said, covers seats in AIIMS and other Institutes of National Importance. The response also cited the government’s preferred blueprint for expansion: Link new medical colleges to existing district or referral hospitals and position the exercise as a solution to regional imbalance. A total of 157 medical colleges have been approved via the centrally sponsored scheme at a cost of ₹41,332.41 crore up to now. It has already delivered ₹23,246.10 crore of its share of ₹26,715.84 crore, the ministry noted. That stated priority is known and politically potent: Underserved areas, aspirational districts, spots where the map of medical education has long felt thin. But seat creation is an easy headline. The uncomfortable narrative begins when the glow of the press note wanes. Even as the system keeps adding capacity, it has been struggling to fill a substantial number of postgraduate medical seats. 

This is not a stray aberration. Rajya Sabha data shows vacant PG seats have persisted in the thousands across years. As a consequence, the NEET PG qualifying percentile had to be cut sharply to keep seats from lying empty. That is the paradox now staring at the system. India is generating the optics of mass expansion, but part of that expansion isn’t attracting takers without constantly lowering the entry threshold. So the real question is no longer how many seats have been created. It is why so many postgraduate medical seats still need to be rescued. India’s NEET PG seat curve takes a sharp upward turn Data presented in the Rajya Sabha in February 2026 by Patel shows that the story of postgraduate medical seat expansion over the last five years has not been one of calm, steady growth. It has moved in jolts. INDIA'S MEDICAL SEAT EXPANSION: A SNAPSHOT

Academic year

NEET UG seats added

NEET PG seats added

2021–22

8,790

4,705

2022–23

7,398

2,874

2023–24

9,652

4,713

2024–25

8,641

4,186

2025–26

11,682

8,416

Source: Data presented by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in Rajya Sabha, February 2026

In 2021–22, the increase stood at 4,705 seats. A year later, it dropped sharply to 2,874. It climbed back to 4,713 in 2023–24, slipped again to 4,186 in 2024–25, and then suddenly shot up to 8,416 in 2025–26. That last number changes the texture of the trend. For four years, postgraduate expansion stayed trapped below the 5,000-seat mark, moving forward, then stumbling, then recovering, then losing pace again. Then came 2025–26, and the graph stopped behaving like a cautious line. With 8,416 PG seats added in a single year, the latest figure is not just the highest in the series, it is almost double the previous year’s addition. This is not incremental growth but a visible shift in scale. This is particularly important because the NEET PG story is the more serious end of medical education. 

While MBBS seats widen entry, PG medical seats strengthen the specialist pipeline. They decide how many trained doctors move into advanced disciplines, teaching roles and higher-end institutional care. So when PG seat expansion suddenly leaps like this, it suggests that the system is trying to push harder at the specialist end, where capacity has historically grown more unevenly. The undergraduate trend, by comparison, looks steadier. UG seat addition stood at 8,790 in 2021–22, fell to 7,398 in 2022–23, rose to 9,652 in 2023–24, dipped to 8,641 in 2024–25, and then climbed to 11,682 in 2025–26. So yes, MBBS expansion remains strong and politically visible. But it is the PG curve this year that really grabs attention. The undergraduate line rises. The postgraduate line lurches and in 2025–26, it lunges. NEET PG: The problem of increasing seats and rising vacancies A temporary problem is supposed to leave after making a mess. The issue of vacant seats in India’s postgraduate medical education seems to have unpacked its bags. 

VACANT MEDICAL SEATS IN INDIA: A FOUR-YEAR SNAPSHOT

Academic year

Vacant UG seats

Vacant PG seats

2021–22

141

3,744

2022–23

2,027

4,400

2023–24

490

3,028

2024–25

380

2,849

Source: Data presented by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in Rajya Sabha, February 2026

For four consecutive academic years, NEET PG seats have remained vacant and the numbers are too large to be dismissed and too consistent to be treated as an exception. The count stood at 3,744 in 2021–22 and worsened to 4,400 in 2022–23. After that, it softened somewhat: 3,028 in 2023–24 and 2,849 in 2024–25. But this recovery is not reassuring in any sense. A system that still leaves nearly three thousand postgraduate seats empty is not battling a stray counselling hiccup. It is revealing a deeper discomfort. The state keeps producing seats but candidates keep refusing a significant chunk of them. The seat exists on paper, but not quite in aspiration. The undergraduate comparison only makes the contrast harsher. 

UG vacancies were a mere 141 in 2021–22. 

They spiked to 2,027 in 2022–23, but then fell sharply to 490 in 2023–24 and 380 in 2024–25. The UG curve looks bruised but capable of self-correction. The postgraduate curve, unfortunately, does not. The system here is not merely struggling to fill seats. It is struggling to make enough of them feel worth taking. Why young doctors are walking past NEET PG seats The story of vacant PG medical seats is not one of reluctant students. The vacancy trail, according to Dr Rohan Krishnan, Chief Patron of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), suggests something more serious. He puts it bluntly, “Vacant seats are a symptom of systemic dysfunction, not student apathy.” The dysfunction begins, he argues, with the way seats are being created. “Seats have been added rapidly without ensuring adequate faculty strength, patient load, clinical exposure and teaching infrastructure,” says Krishnan. These are major pain points for postgraduate doctors. The second problem is where many of these seats are located and what kind of institutional life they offer. “Many vacant seats are concentrated in remote or underserved regions and in institutions with erratic stipends, excessive workload, inadequate safety and weak academic culture,” Dr Krishnan observes. “Young doctors are not avoiding service, they are avoiding exploitative and unsafe training environments.” 

He also points to the deterrent effect of state bond policies. “Long compulsory service periods, financial penalties running into lakhs and unclear enforcement mechanisms deter candidates, especially those from modest backgrounds, from accepting seats that may trap them in prolonged or uncertain obligations,” Krishnan says. Add to these the problems of multiple rounds of counselling, last-minute rule changes, and poor inter-state coordination. “All these result in candidates losing eligibility, seats remaining blocked till late rounds and no practical window for relocation,” he adds. Bottom line In the end, the NEET PG vacancy story is not about a few leftover seats after counselling. 

The problem is not one of dwindling aspiration, but of value creation. Adding more seats to boost higher education in medicine is an achievement for sure, but only if those seats offer the kind of reliability that aspirants find good enough to go for. A seat existing in theory and government documents cannot make it worthwhile. Policymakers need to stop treating the empty PG seats as temporary embarrassment that can be covered up by the easiest shortcut: Percentile reduction. They need to acknowledge and address the hard truths behind this systemic failure to make medical specialization in India a worthy pursuit. Click here for the February 2026 Rajya Sabha data.

1,28,976 MBBS, 85,020 PG seats, 818 medical colleges in India: Health Ministry cites NMC data, regulations in Parliament

1,28,976 MBBS, 85,020 PG seats, 818 medical colleges in India: Health Ministry cites NMC data, regulations in Parliament 

Written By : Adity Saha Published On 11 Mar 2026 5:49 PM | Updated On 11 Mar 2026 5:49 PM

New Delhi: Altogether 1,28,976 MBBS, 85,020 PG seats and 818 medical colleges are available in the country as per the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Health Ministry recently told the Parliament while citing NMC data and regulations.

Further, under CSS schemes, 4977 additional MBBS seats and 8058 additional PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country, Union Health Minister Smt Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha.

While informing Parliament about the increase in seat capacity in medical colleges, the Minister said that, as per the National Medical Commission, the number of medical colleges has increased by 111.36%, from 387 in 2013-14 to 818 at present.

Further, she stated that MBBS seats have increased by 151.18%, from 51,348 before 2013-14 to 1,28,976 currently, while PG seats have risen by 172.63%, from 31,185 before 2014 to 85,020 at present, improving access to medical education in the country.

"The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. Under these schemes, additional 4977 MBBS seats and 8058 PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country," the Minister said.

The information was shared while responding to a series of queries raised by parliament member who sought to know the reasons and details of sanctioning additional medical seats in Government colleges to increase MBBS and postgraduate capacity; whether the increase in seats is accompanied by proportional enhancement in faculty, infrastructure and clinical training facilities to maintain education quality, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor; whether the National Medical Commission monitors compliance with regulations and standards across colleges and the steps being taken to ensure equitable access to medical education across States and underserved regions.

In response, MoS Health Patel informed that the National Medical Commission (NMC) invites online applications every year from medical colleges and institutions across the country for the establishment of new medical colleges and for increase of Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) medical seats. NMC issues Letter of Permission (LoP)/ Letter of Disapproval (LoD) after due scrutiny and assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, the Minimum Standard Requirement for Undergraduate courses (UGMSR), 2023, the Minimum Standard Requirement for Postgraduate courses (PGMSR), 2023, and other relevant norms issued by NMC from time to time.

"The "Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER2023)" makes it obligatory on the part of the medical college or medical institution, after its establishment, to furnish an Annual Disclosure Report (ADR) to the concerned Board, satisfying such conditions provided under the notified MSRs by Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) or Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) and regulations of NMC. The respective Board (PGMEB or UGMEB) undertakes the evaluation of the ADR as and when deemed necessary for their assessment and otherwise," She added.

To ensure equitable to medical education across States and underserved regions, the Minister informed the parliament about the following key measures introduced under UGMSR, 2023 and PGMSR, 2023.

(i) Removal of the earlier mandatory land requirement, with provision for a unitary campus or a maximum of two campuses within a distance of 10 km between the medical college and the teaching hospital.

(ii) Adoption of a need-based approach for scaling infrastructure, equipment and manpower.

(iii) Permission to start PG courses with two seats with two faculty members without the earlier requirement of three faculty members and a senior resident.

(iv) Provision enabling medical colleges to apply for starting PG courses one year after commencement of the undergraduate course, while Government Medical Colleges may start PG courses simultaneously with UG courses.

(d) The government has made concerted efforts on expanding the medical college infrastructure under various CSS Schemes over last one decade so that medical education becomes more equitable and accessible across States. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. A total of 157 Medical Colleges have been approved in the various districts across the country. Further, support has also been provided for Strengthening/Upgradation of existing Sate Government/Central Government medical colleges to increase the number of MBBS (UG) and PG seats under another CSS Scheme. Under these schemes, additional 4977 MBBS seats and 8058 PG seats have been approved in medical colleges across the country.

Karnataka among top 3 states with highest internship slots for FMGs With 4,652 internship seats for academic year 2026-27,

Karnataka among top 3 states with highest internship slots for FMGs With 4,652 internship seats for academic year 2026-27, 

Karnataka accounts for over 10 per cent of the total slots available nationwide.

DH Web Desk Last Updated : 11 March 2026, 19:15 IST 

For representative purposeCredit: iStock photos Karnataka is among the states offering the highest number of internship seats for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in India, according to a circular issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Tuesday (March 10).

As per the state-wise matrix released by the NMC, Karnataka has 4,652 Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) seats available for FMGs for the academic year 2026–27. This accounts for over 10 percent of the total 43,250 internship slots available nationwide.

As per the data, Karnataka ranks among the top states offering internship seats for FMGs, with the first being Uttar Pradesh (5,034 seats), followed by Telangana (4,871 seats).

Other states with large numbers of seats include Maharashtra (3,662) and Tamil Nadu (3,126). The NMC released the state-wise and college-wise matrix while directing State Medical Councils to begin allotting internship slots to eligible FMGs.

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The data also shows that Karnataka has seen a significant increase in MBBS seats in recent years.

According to the NMC data, the state had 10,045 MBBS seats in the academic year 2021–22, which increased to 13,944 seats by 2025–26, marking an addition of 3,899 MBBS seats over four years.

Also Read:Karnataka gets highest number of medical seats in country Several other states have also recorded major increases in the same period. Telangana added 4,500 seats, the highest in the country, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 4,372 seats. Maharashtra added 2,929 seats, while Tamil Nadu added 2,325 seats. This expansion has significantly increased the pool of internship slots that can be allotted to foreign medical graduates.

As per the guidelines released by NMC, all seats added during and after the academic year 2022-23 will be allotted to FMGs for their Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI)

How CRMI seats for FMGs are calculated

The NMC advisory outlines how internship slots must be earmarked for FMGs in medical colleges.

As per the circular, State Medical Councils must allocate CRMI slots based on the following criteria:

7.5 per cent of the permitted intake of interns in established medical colleges

100 per cent of CRMI seats in newly established medical colleges

100 per cent of the seats added due to increased MBBS intake between academic years 2022–23 and 2025–26

These provisions were introduced after multiple representations and court cases filed by FMGs over delays and denial of internship opportunities in India.

The NMC has directed State Medical Councils to initiate the allotment process for eligible FMGs in coordination with their respective Directorates of Medical Education.

Counselling ends, no takers for 783 medical PG seats in Karnataka

Counselling ends, no takers for 783 medical PG seats in Karnataka

 SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com 10.03.2026

TIMES OF INDIA BENGALURU

 Bengaluru : With counselling ending on Saturday, 783 of 4,773 postgraduate medical seats — or 16% — have remained unfilled in Karnataka. The PG seats were available for counselling through Karnataka Examinations Authority. Around 14,400 students registered for counselling and 10,000 entered options for medical PG through KEA. 

According to experts, several factors have contributed to this. First, addition of 967 seats in one year. Second, long counselling cycles. Third, most of these seats are under management quota with annual fees ranging from Rs 25,000 for an anatomy seat to Rs 1.3 crore for a dermatology seat in private colleges.

 What makes this year’s trends different is that seats in coveted streams are vacant. There were 500 general medicine seats available, of which 37 are vacant. In MD radiodiagnosis, 35 of 287 seats found no takers. In general surgery, 11 of 425 seats were unfilled. Dermatology had 15 of 196 seats and paediatrics had 25 of 362 seats vacant.

 Most vacant seats are in management quota where fees are high: RGUHS VC

 Pre and para-clinical seats had only a handful of takers. Only eight students took up anatomy seats, of the total 119 seats available. Twenty students opted for physiology, 21 for biochemistry, and 70 for pharmacology. Students showed better interest in pathology, with 226 students opting for it. Compare this with previous year’s admissions. 

In 2024-25, there were 3,806 medical PG seats available through KEA counselling. Of these, 3,378 were allotted, leaving 428 seats vacant. It’s a 10% vacancy. All the vacant seats that year were in pre and para-clinical programmes. The trend was the same in 2023 too, when 478 seats were vacant — all from pre and para clinical. There was an increase of 967 seats in a single year this time. 

“The mindset of students applying for MBBS and MD is different. In MBBS, at whichever stage seats are added, they get filled up. Not with PG. From what we observed, the seats added in the middle of counselling do not find many takers. PG students charted out their career paths,” said SNVL Narasimha Raju, chairman, The Oxford Educational Institutions. 

“Counselling takes a very long time amid court cases and other delays. There is very little gap between one counselling and the next year’s exam. So students decide to prepare better for the next year’s exam, rather than pay for the highfee category seat this year. Thus, the NRI/management seats are left vacant in many institutions,” he added. 

“This time, there was an increase in the number of seats. Most vacant seats are in the management quota. These fees are so high that it is out of reach for many students. It is sad that seats are going vacant even when there are hundreds of students repeating the exam, vying for those seats. One way to do it is to subsidise the management seats and make it more affordable for the students,” said Bhagavan BC, vice-chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. “All the rounds of counselling are over, unless the National Medical Commission permits more,” said Islavuddeen Gadyal, administrative officer, KEA.

Kerala HC admits doctors' appeals against order allowing 'Dr' prefix for physiotherapists

Kerala HC admits doctors' appeals against order allowing 'Dr' prefix for physiotherapists 

Written By : Adity SahaPublished On 3 Mar 2026 9:30 AM | Updated On 3 Mar 2026 1:39 PM

Kerala High Court 06.03.2025

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday admitted appeals filed by the doctors challenging a recent Single Bench ruling that permitted physiotherapists, along with medical practitioners, to use the prefix 'Dr'. Earlier, the Court had refused to step into the matter, saying that the decision on using the “Dr.” prefix should be taken by the government, not the Court. However, after hearing submissions that the matter can be argued on merits, the Court has now decided that the issue requires detailed examination.

Medical Dialogues had reported that a single bench previously dismissed pleas seeking a ban on Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapy Professionals to proclaim themselves as the first health care provider and use the 'Dr' prefix. 

Challenging that order, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR) approached a Division Bench of the High Court. In their appeal, they sought directions that the professional services of physiotherapists and occupational therapy professionals should be confined to a supportive role within the medical profession.

When the matter came up on Monday (February 23), the Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan orally remarked that it is not up to the Court to make a decision as to whether medical professionals or physiotherapists can use the prefix 'Dr.' and that the same has to be decided by the government or the legislature.

The matter was adjourned at that stage to enable senior counsel appearing for the appellants to obtain instructions on whether to press the appeals in light of the court’s observations.

On February 2, the counsel informed the Bench that the appellants wished to proceed on the merits, raising all legal and regulatory grounds available to them.

Following this, the Division Bench comprising Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan issued notice to the respondents after hearing preliminary submissions and decided that the matter warrants detailed consideration.

The case has been posted for further hearing on March 19.

As per IANS report, the March 19 hearing is expected to see detailed arguments on the scope of professional titles, regulatory authority, and the potential public interest implications arising from the use of the “Dr.” prefix across different streams of healthcare practice.

Background:

The issue arose when, earlier last year, the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) had recommended the use of 'Dr' prefix for physiotherapists.

In the Competency-Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy 2025, which was released on 23.04.2025, NCAHP suggested the title "Physiotherapist" with the prefix "Dr" and suffix "PT."

On September 9, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under the Health Ministry, mentioned in a letter addressed to the IMA National President, Dr Dilip Bhanushali, that by using the 'Dr' prefix, physiotherapists will be in legal violation of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916.

DGHS had issued the directive after receiving several representations and strong objections from various organisations, including the IAPMR, regarding the use of the prefix "Dr." and suffix "PT" by Physiotherapists in India.

However, only a day later, the DGHS announced its earlier letter as withdrawn. DGHS changed its decision after receiving representations in this regard requiring further examination.

Pleas before Kerala HC:

Pleas were filed before the Kerala High Court seeking an order to nullify, rather read down, the wide scope of the connotation "Physiotherapy Professional" as enlisted vide Sl. No. 3 as well as Serial No. 6- Occupational Therapy Professional of the Schedule appended to the National Commission for Allied and Health Care Professions Act, 2021 so as to make and confine the scope of discharge of such professional services of Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapy Professionals only as a supporting group for the qualified Medical Professionals under the provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916.

Further, the petitions prayed for quashing certain provisions in the Competency Based Curriculum for Occupational Therapy, to the extent to which they purported to place Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapy Professionals on a high pedestal as a First Health Care provider and in allowing them to use prefix 'Dr' in their names.

Another prayer was for a writ of mandamus or other appropriate order directing the authorities and their officers to issue necessary orders interdicting Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapy Professionals in proclaiming themselves as the First Health Care provider and in using the prefix 'Dr' in their names, and to ensure that their professional services should be confined only to a supporting group for the medical profession.

These pleas were filed by the Kerala State Branch of the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR), and several other medical professionals.

LATEST IN HEALTH RESEARCH

LATEST IN HEALTH RESEARCH

TIMES OF INDIA 04.03.2026

Weight loss drugs could be making your bones brittle Popular GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic may be bad for bone health, says a new study presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting. The study found GLP-1 users had a 30% increased risk of osteoporosis and a 12% more risk of gout. Study lead and professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Dr John Horneff told NBC News that it’s mostly because people reduce their food intake after taking these drugs, which also makes them miss out on key nutrients, apart from the loss of bone mineral density that came with rapid weight loss. 

Too much red meat can double your diabetes risk A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition has found that consuming too much red meat, especially the processed kind, increases diabetes risk by 49%, according to Medical News Today. And switching to plant proteins (nuts and legumes) or healthier protein sources (dairy, poultry, fish and eggs) can reduce this risk by 9-14%. Red meat is high on saturated fat that can worsen insulin resistance, it said.

NMC warns against ‘fake’ patients in medical colleges

 

NMC warns against ‘fake’ patients in medical colleges

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI  03.02.2026

Medical colleges admitting “fake patients” can see their applications for new postgraduate courses or additional seats immediately rejected, the National Medical Commission (NMC) warned in a recent order.

The commission said some medical colleges admit people who do not require any treatment to fulfill the requirement of bed occupancy and investigations. It said “fake patient practice” will invite punishment if it is reported during an assessment.

The NMC approves additional medical college seats through a stringent, time-bound online process conducted by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB). Experts note that key aspects include adherence to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, and Undergraduate Minimum Standard Requirements, with strict deadlines for submission.

The NMC said that detection of fake patients may result in barring the institution from starting new courses or from increasing intake in existing courses for a period specified by the MARB. It can affect the renewal of UG and existing PG courses.

The commission has laid down guidelines to identify fake patients. These include patients admitted on the day of, or just before, an assessment. Those who have minor ailments that can be treated on an outpatient basis, and those admitted without X-ray, blood reports or any in-patient treatment such as intravenous cannula, injections, and catheterisation will be treated as “fake” patients. Multiple patients from the same family being admitted, and patients admitted in large numbers through preventive health check-up camps are also “fake”. In paediatric wards, playful children admitted without any significant problem will be categorised as “fake”.

The NMC said the assessment will consider the faculty, infrastructure, clinical material/indicators, and quality of education of the college.