After the academic year 2026-27, the NMC will no longer accept admissions to the PG Diploma courses. No more admission to these courses will be allowed from 2027-28. And all diploma seats will be shifted to the MD/MS degree. The change follows PGMER 2023 rules. Students already enrolled will not be affected. Medical colleges must now apply to convert their diploma seats into MD or MS seats. What Has the NMC Decided? On 22nd June, 2026, the NMC released a notice to all medical colleges of India. This comes after the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) issued a public notice on 19th June 2026. The notice is clear and direct. All PG Diploma courses will be phased out. They will be replaced by PG Broad Specialty Degree courses, known as MD and MS. This is not a new rule. It builds on a regulation already in place since 2023. Key Dates at a Glance Here is what students and colleges need to know: Academic Year Status 2026-27 Last year for PG Diploma admissions 2027-28 onwards No new admissions; diploma courses cease to function After 2026-27, the PG Diploma door closes for good. Anyone who wants a diploma seat must apply during this final cycle. Why is NMC Discontinuing PG Diploma Courses? The NMC provided some obvious reasons for this change: Standardization: This results in a uniform post-graduate medical training throughout the country. Existing Infrastructure: Many colleges already have faculty, patient load and facilities to operate the MD/MS course rather than a diploma. Global alignment: Degree-based specialist training is aligned more closely to international standards than courses with a shorter duration of study (diplomas). How Will Diploma Seats Convert to MD/MS? Colleges, not students, must take action to convert seats. Here is how the diploma to degree seat conversion works: Who applies: Medical colleges and institutions currently running PG Diploma courses Where to apply: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), through a dedicated online portal Current status: The portal is not yet live; NMC will release detailed instructions separately Conditions: Approval depends on meeting NMC's faculty, infrastructure, and clinical standards Timeline: MARB will share the application window and process once ready No new diploma seats or diploma courses will be approved going forward. This part of the rule has been in effect since PGMER 2023. Will This Impact current PG diploma students? No. This has no impact on students currently in PG Diploma programmes. You will complete your course under the same academic rules that applied when you joined. The NMC has confirmed this directly. Impact on Different Groups This decision affects people differently depending on where they stand right now. Current PG Diploma students Your course continues as planned. No new rules apply to your batch. NEET PG aspirants planning for 2026 or 2027 You have one more year to apply for a diploma seat, if you want one. After that, your only path to a postgraduate specialty is through MD/MS programs. This means more competition for degree seats and fewer total pathway options for MBBS graduates. Medical colleges running diploma programs You need to apply to MARB if you want to keep your specialty seats active. Waiting too long could mean losing seat capacity once diploma courses shut down.
After the academic year 2026-27, the NMC will no longer accept admissions to the PG Diploma courses. No more admission to these courses will be allowed from 2027-28. And all diploma seats will be shifted to the MD/MS degree. The change follows PGMER 2023 rules. Students already enrolled will not be affected. Medical colleges must now apply to convert their diploma seats into MD or MS seats. What Has the NMC Decided? On 22nd June, 2026, the NMC released a notice to all medical colleges of India. This comes after the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) issued a public notice on 19th June 2026. The notice is clear and direct. All PG Diploma courses will be phased out. They will be replaced by PG Broad Specialty Degree courses, known as MD and MS. This is not a new rule. It builds on a regulation already in place since 2023. Key Dates at a Glance Here is what students and colleges need to know: Academic Year Status 2026-27 Last year for PG Diploma admissions 2027-28 onwards No new admissions; diploma courses cease to function After 2026-27, the PG Diploma door closes for good. Anyone who wants a diploma seat must apply during this final cycle. Why is NMC Discontinuing PG Diploma Courses? The NMC provided some obvious reasons for this change: Standardization: This results in a uniform post-graduate medical training throughout the country. Existing Infrastructure: Many colleges already have faculty, patient load and facilities to operate the MD/MS course rather than a diploma. Global alignment: Degree-based specialist training is aligned more closely to international standards than courses with a shorter duration of study (diplomas). How Will Diploma Seats Convert to MD/MS? Colleges, not students, must take action to convert seats. Here is how the diploma to degree seat conversion works: Who applies: Medical colleges and institutions currently running PG Diploma courses Where to apply: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), through a dedicated online portal Current status: The portal is not yet live; NMC will release detailed instructions separately Conditions: Approval depends on meeting NMC's faculty, infrastructure, and clinical standards Timeline: MARB will share the application window and process once ready No new diploma seats or diploma courses will be approved going forward. This part of the rule has been in effect since PGMER 2023. Will This Impact current PG diploma students? No. This has no impact on students currently in PG Diploma programmes. You will complete your course under the same academic rules that applied when you joined. The NMC has confirmed this directly. Impact on Different Groups This decision affects people differently depending on where they stand right now. Current PG Diploma students Your course continues as planned. No new rules apply to your batch. NEET PG aspirants planning for 2026 or 2027 You have one more year to apply for a diploma seat, if you want one. After that, your only path to a postgraduate specialty is through MD/MS programs. This means more competition for degree seats and fewer total pathway options for MBBS graduates. Medical colleges running diploma programs You need to apply to MARB if you want to keep your specialty seats active. Waiting too long could mean losing seat capacity once diploma courses shut down.
