Eminent cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Abhijat Sheth has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Dr. Sheth currently also serves as the President of the National Board of Examinations (NBE), which means that both key medical education regulatory bodies NMC and NBE are now under his leadership. In addition, he is the Director of Medical Services at Apollo Hospital, Ahmedabad.
Widely respected in his field, Dr. Sheth has built a distinguished career in adult cardiothoracic surgery, research, and academics first in India and later in the United Kingdom. He has authored over 20 peer‑reviewed papers in renowned journals such as Annals of Thoracic Surgery, along with 40 abstracts and 40 conference presentations at leading forums including the British Thoracic Surgery, World Congress of Bronchology, European Respiratory Society, and American Thoracic Society.
His appointment was confirmed on 11 July 2025, when the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Union Health Ministry’s proposal to name him as Chairperson of the NMC.
Dr. Sheth takes over from Dr. B.N. Gangadhar, who previously served as the Commission’s officiating Chairperson and earlier as President of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board.
According to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr. Sheth will hold the position for a term of four years from the date of assuming charge, or until he reaches 70 years of age, or until further orders whichever comes first.
On his new role, Dr. Sheth remarked, “This is a great responsibility and a challenging task. Our focus must be on improving quality, enhancing access, ensuring good governance, and fostering teamwork. These will be our key priorities moving forward.”