Hyderabad: National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairman Dr Abhijat Sheth has emphasised the need to balance medical education numbers with quality, announcing plans to expand MBBS seats and postgraduate opportunities. Speaking at the 86th foundation day celebrations of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Hyderabad City branch, he said that undergraduate and postgraduate seats should ideally be maintained in a 1:1 ratio to ensure every MBBS graduate gets an opportunity to specialise. For the academic year 2025–26, the NMC has already approved 1.23 lakh MBBS seats.
Focus on Competency-Based and Digital Training
Dr Sheth stressed that medical training must evolve to include competency-based education, supplemented by skill labs, virtual training, digital learning, and artificial intelligence applications. These tools, he said, will enhance traditional teaching methods and help students acquire specialty and subspecialty-specific skills. He also highlighted that communication, ethics, empathy, and clinical research should become core, non-optional parts of medical training.
Reforms in Exams and Accreditation
Responding to concerns over assessment patterns, including excessive negative marking, Dr Sheth assured that reforms will be introduced to make examinations fair while maintaining high standards. He also underlined the need to modernise outdated infrastructure and land requirements that restrict institutional growth. Accreditation processes, he added, will be simplified to enable medical colleges to focus more on teaching, learning, and student support.
Challenges in Postgraduate Training
Addressing the shortage of faculty and divided learning resources in postgraduate education, Dr Sheth acknowledged persistent gaps in training. He pointed out that institutional support, such as adequate hostels for younger undergraduate students, must remain a priority. Balanced regulation, better coordination between national and state medical bodies, and recognition of medical talent were highlighted as essential steps toward strengthening postgraduate education.
Call for Gradual and Well-Planned Reforms
Dr Sheth cautioned against overly rapid changes, stating that reforms must be gradual and carefully planned to avoid confusion. Drawing a historical analogy, he said sudden changes, as seen during the Soviet Union’s Perestroika, created instability. Looking ahead, he outlined three key tasks for the NMC: addressing numbers in a balanced way, easing unnecessary barriers, and reinforcing quality in learning, teaching, and infrastructure.
