The National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced new guidelines for post-graduate medical admissions, ushering in significant changes in the process. According to the "Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023," counseling for PG medical admissions will now be exclusively conducted online by state or central counseling authorities. Notably, medical colleges are no longer permitted to admit candidates on their own.

Under these regulations, there will be a unified counseling system for all post-graduate medical courses across India, based solely on merit lists from respective exams. The online counseling process will be overseen by state or central authorities, ensuring a standardized and transparent admission procedure.

To enhance transparency further, medical colleges must declare the fees for each course during the seat matrix submission. Failure to do so will result in those seats not being considered for admission. In addition to changes in the admission process, the regulations also introduce modifications to the examination system. These include incorporating formative assessments and providing the option of multiple-choice questions in university examinations. These changes aim to bring objectivity to the examination process and align it with international standards.

Furthermore, the regulations bring changes to the District Residency Programme (DRP), designed to improve student training. Previously, a district hospital was required to have a minimum of 100 beds for the DRP. However, the regulations now reduce this requirement to 50 beds. This adjustment allows doctors to receive training in district hospitals with a smaller capacity, supporting the goal of strengthening healthcare services at the grassroots level.

Additionally, the regulations address the issue of degree registration for postgraduate students. Once a medical college is granted permission to offer PG courses or seats, the course will be considered recognized for qualification registration, streamlining the registration process for postgraduate degree holders.

The regulations also permit undergraduate medical colleges to initiate postgraduate courses starting from the third year, rather than the previous fourth-year requirement in clinical specialties. Furthermore, non-teaching hospitals owned and managed by the government, either existing or proposed, can now establish postgraduate courses independently without the need for undergraduate colleges. This change is expected to facilitate the establishment of government-run postgraduate medical colleges in smaller government or district hospitals.

To maintain quality standards, a minimum standard requirement document will outline infrastructure and faculty requirements for postgraduate institutes. Additionally, all students will be required to undergo courses in research methodology, ethics, and cardiac life support skills.

The regulations also include provisions for penalties, which may involve monetary fines, seat reductions, or the complete suspension of admissions for institutions that do not comply with these guidelines. These stringent measures aim to ensure the effective implementation of the new regulations.