The National Medical Commission (NMC) announces the phase-out of postgraduate diploma medical courses and a shift toward postgraduate broad-speciality degree programmes. Multiple reports say the 2026–27 academic session is the last year in which admissions to PG diploma courses will be allowed. From the 2027–28 academic year, the NMC moves to end fresh admissions to PG diploma programmes and directs that these courses be discontinued.

The NMC also instructs medical colleges to convert existing PG diploma seats into equivalent MD (Doctor of Medicine) and MS (Master of Surgery) broad-speciality degree seats. The reports indicate that the conversion is intended to standardise postgraduate medical education, streamline specialist training, and make better use of existing institutional infrastructure, faculty, and clinical resources. One report notes that some colleges currently run both diploma and degree programmes in the same speciality, while others offer only diploma courses, and the conversion directive applies across institutions running PG diploma programmes.

The decision is described as being implemented through an NMC notification/circular dated June 22, 2026.