NMC to phase out postgraduate diploma medical courses starting 2027, shift fully to MD, MS programmes

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced that postgraduate diploma medical courses will be phased out across the country and replaced with postgraduate broad-specialty degree programmes such as MD and MS.

In a notification, the NMC said the 2026-27 academic session will be the last year in which students can be admitted to postgraduate diploma courses. From the 2027-28 academic year onwards, no fresh admissions will be allowed to PG diploma programmes, and these courses will cease to function.

The move is aimed at standardising postgraduate medical education, improving the



quality and recognition of specialist training, and aligning medical qualifications with current educational standards. The commission also said the decision would help institutions make better use of their existing infrastructure and faculty resources.

The NMC noted that several medical colleges currently run both diploma and degree programmes in the same specialty, while some institutions offer only diploma courses. According to the commission, many of these colleges already possess the infrastructure, clinical material, faculty and other resources required to upgrade diploma seats into MD/MS seats.