NMC Proposes Restoring 10-Year Window for MBBS Completion, Seeks Public Feedback

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed restoring the 10-year maximum duration for completing the MBBS programme , including the Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) , through a draft amendment to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER), 2023 . The move reverses a 2023 revision that had reduced the permissible duration to nine years.

The draft amendment, issued as part of the Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 , has been placed in the public domain, and the commission has invited comments and objections from stakeholders and the general public within 30 days before finalisation.

According to the proposed rules, students will continue to be subject to a strict limit of four attempts for the First Professional MBBS examination , with no relaxation in this provision. However, those who clear the first-year requirement will be allowed to complete the entire MBBS course within 10 years from the date of joining , and this period will explicitly include the mandatory internship training .

The draft amendment also clarifies that under no circumstances will a student be permitted to continue the undergraduate medical course beyond the 10-year outer limit , reinforcing academic progression norms while offering additional flexibility for delayed completion.

The proposed change aligns the MBBS duration framework with the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 , which already operate under a similar 10-year completion structure.

Officials familiar with the development noted that the revision is intended to assist students who may face academic setbacks, health-related issues, personal emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances , thereby allowing them adequate time to complete their medical education without losing eligibility.

The NMC had earlier reduced the maximum permissible duration from 10 years to nine years in June 2023 , a change that had drawn concerns from several academic stakeholders regarding rigidity in exceptional cases.

As per regulatory procedure, the amendment will take effect only after the NMC reviews all feedback and issues a final notification in the Official Gazette , meaning the proposed changes are not yet enforceable.