NMC Withdraws Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2023 With Immediate Effects

The National Medical Commission has withdrawn the guidelines under Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2023 (GMER). In an official notification the commission said “It is informed that the Circular of even number dated 12.06.2023 thereby issuing Guidelines under Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023, stands “WITHDRAWN AND CANCELLED” with immediate effect.”

The notification is also signed by Undergraduate Medical Education Board’s Director Shambhu Sharan Kumar. On June 2, 2023, NMC published the Graduate Medical Education Regulation. On June 12, 2023, the commission did, however, reissue the regulation in a revised form. New rules and regulations for MBBS students were released by NMC with GMER 2023 and were to be put into effect with the upcoming academic session from 2023 to 2024.

The CBME Curriculum, Manpower Requirement for Research Facilities in a Medical College, Family Adoption Programme, Admission of Students under the “Disability Category” in MBBS Courses, and the manner for submitting information regarding admission to a medical college were every aspect discussed in the GMER 2023. These guidelines aimed to bring uniformity to MBBS courses by introducing a standardised academic calendar. According to the now scrapped regulations, the admission procedures for MBBS courses must be completed by the end of August. Additionally, the NMC has made changes by discontinuing supplementary batches for students who fail their annual examinations.

The scrapped regulations suggested that supplementary examinations and the announcement of results should be conducted within 3-6 weeks after the main examination results are declared for each professional year of the MBBS course. In case a candidate fails the supplementary examination for the first year of MBBS, they will be required to join the batch of the following academic or subsequent year. The provision for supplementary batches will no longer exist.

The 83-page GMER 2023 guidelines also suggested that the admission process for undergraduate medical courses must commence on August 1 and conclude by August 30, without exceptions. Universities are strictly instructed not to register any students admitted beyond this specified date. Additionally, the guidelines include a meticulously crafted academic calendar that outlines the commencement of each course component and the scheduled examination dates.