Chennai: Non-teaching government hospitals can now start post-graduate courses even if they do not have any undergraduate college, as per the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023.
However, for this, the concerned non-teaching government hospital will have to fulfill the norms and procedures prescribed in the various relevant regulations.
PGMER 2023, which was published in the official gazette on 29.12.2023, lay down the rules and regulations regarding admission, counselling, and other details related to postgraduate medical courses.
Chapter III of the regulations deals with the establishment of post-graduate medical institutions, starting of new postgraduate medical courses and maintenance of the standard of medical education.
“Existing or proposed non-teaching hospitals owned and managed by government can start post-graduate courses without having undergraduate college, provided they fulfil the norms and procedures prescribed in the Establishment of New Medical Institution, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses and Assessment and Rating Regulations,2023, Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022, MSR notified by PGMEB (PGMSR-23), Curriculum requirements of respective Speciality as notified/informed from time to time on website or by other methods by Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), other relevant regulations, explanatory notes, circulars and advisories etc., issued from time to time,” the National Medical Commission (NMC) mentioned under this Chapter.
Therefore, non-teaching government hospitals will now be allowed to start new PG medical courses, even in the absence of undergraduate college, provided that they fulfill the requirements.
Further, the regulations mentioned that the medical college/institution will be permitted to start the PG courses if it fulfills all the requirements for running the existing undergraduate course. “The medical college/institution can apply for starting the post-graduate course(s) one year after the medical college/institution has been permitted to start an undergraduate course (i.e. during the second year of the undergraduate course),” it added. Previously, a college used to be allowed to run PG medical courses only after admitting the third batch of MBBS students.
Commenting on the matter, a member of the NMC PG Board Dr. K Senthil told the Times of India, that the Board will release the detailed requirements shortly. He added, “The new regulation aims at increasing capacity and elevating the standard of medical education.”
Meanwhile, experts have opined that NMC’s relaxation for PG medical seats is aimed at raising the number of medical specialists like orthopaedicians, paediatricians, anaesthetists and radiologists across the country.
The PGMER 2023 has also eliminated the distinction between “permitted” and “recognised” seats as it mentioned that once permitted, the course for the qualification will be considered recognised and seats permitted will be considered as recognised seats for registration of the degree awarded.
“Medical colleges/Institutions running such courses will be considered as Accredited Medical colleges/Institutions for the said course of qualification,” the new regulations mentioned. This is also a major relief for the medical colleges as previously, the colleges were “permitted” to start new courses and the seats were only recognised after the first batch graduated.
Addressing this, Dr. Senthil informed TOI, “The inspect raj will go. Inspections will be purposeful, instead of screening every college every year.”