The National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced the “National Medical Commission (Recognition of Medical Qualification) Regulations, 2023,”. These Regulations are commonly referred to as the “NMC Recognition” Regulations. The regulations were published on January 1, 2024 and come into force from that day.
The key feature of the regulations involves the maintenance of a comprehensive list of recognized medical qualifications in India. The Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) will oversee undergraduate medical qualifications, while the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) will manage post-graduate medical qualifications.
Medical institutions conferring undergraduate, postgraduate, or super-speciality medical qualifications can now apply to the respective boards for the inclusion of new medical qualifications not already listed. The acceptance of such applications is subject to the consideration of necessity by the relevant board.
Foreign authorities seeking inclusion of their medical qualifications in the list must submit applications to the concerned board along with the necessary documents and information.
Upon submission, the respective board will conduct an evaluation and, if satisfied, include the newly recognized medical qualification in the list. The communication regarding the inclusion will be sent to the applicant within six months. In cases where the board rejects an application after due evaluation, the applicant will be granted a reasonable opportunity to be heard, and the decision will be communicated at the earliest.
Furthermore, the regulations outline specific grounds for the withdrawal of qualifications from the schedule. The UGMEB or the PGMEB may decide to withdraw a qualification if it was initially approved by the erstwhile MCI/NMC based on standards that are no longer relevant. Withdrawal can also occur if there is an alternative course available or if qualifications from Indian or international bodies, accepted without specific standards by the erstwhile MCI/NMC, now have alternative courses prescribed under the NMC with set standards.
These regulations mark a significant step towards ensuring the quality and relevance of medical qualifications in India, streamlining the recognition process, and fostering continuous improvement in medical education standards.
