NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) is proposing to extend the maximum duration for completing the MBBS course from nine to ten years. Under a draft amendment to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023, NMC stated that no student will be permitted to pursue the undergraduate medical program beyond ten years from the date of admission, which will include time spent in the compulsory rotatory medical internship.
Currently, the regulations restrict this period to nine years. Notably, the proposal does not alter an existing rule that limits students to a maximum of four attempts to pass the First Professional MBBS examination, which occurs at the conclusion of the first academic year.
The amendment aims to assist students facing delays in their education due to various factors such as academic challenges, health issues, family obligations, or other unforeseen circumstances. The draft notification has been published in the Gazette of India and made available for public comments and suggestions. The NMC has called for feedback from medical colleges, students, faculty members, and other stakeholders, indicating that objections and suggestions submitted within 30 days will be taken into account before finalizing the amendment.
This development follows nearly three years after the introduction of the competency-based Graduate Medical Education Regulations of 2023, which established the previous nine-year limit. Medical education experts have commented that this proposed change acknowledges the reality that some students may require additional time due to interruptions. They further noted that while the amendment introduces more flexibility, it does not compromise academic standards, as the limit on attempts for the First Professional MBBS examination remains unchanged.
