The National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced draft amendments to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023, published in the Gazette on May 30, 2025. These proposed changes outlined in the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations (Amendment), 2025 are currently open for public and institutional feedback within a defined timeframe.
A major proposal includes implementing a three-year rotatory headship system for academic departments in medical colleges. Under the existing regulations, departments are led exclusively by Professors. However, the amendment suggests that the headship should rotate every three years among Professors and eligible Associate Professors.
Additionally, the NMC has proposed recognizing M.S. in Traumatology and Surgery as a valid feeder broad specialty qualification for pursuing M.Ch. super-specialty courses in Neurosurgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Vascular Surgery. This change revises entries numbered 6, 10, and 15 under Part B of Annexure-7 in the existing regulations, which specifies eligibility criteria for super-specialty admissions.
These reforms aim to bring more inclusivity and flexibility to the leadership structure and academic pathways within medical education.