National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairperson Dr. Abhijat Sheth has clarified that research papers or poster presentations made by postgraduate medical students in any National or State Indian Medical Association (IMA) conference, in their respective specialty sessions, will be considered valid for university examination eligibility.
The clarification came in response to a query raised by the Gujarat State branch of the IMA regarding the restriction clause under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER) 2023. In a letter dated August 5, IMA Gujarat pointed out that while the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) recognized such presentations at IMA conferences, the wording of PGMER 2023 appeared to restrict eligibility to specialty-specific conferences only, potentially excluding IMA platforms.
The IMA argued that its national and state conferences provide significant academic opportunities, with participation from thousands of delegates and hundreds of faculty members, making them ideal platforms for postgraduate students to present their research.
Responding to the appeal, Dr. Sheth wrote to IMA Gujarat President Dr. Mehul J. Shah on August 27, 2025, stating that the PGMER 2023 provision is specialty-specific, not organization-specific. He confirmed that if students present research papers or posters in their allotted specialty sessions at National or State IMA conferences, they will indeed be deemed eligible for university examinations.
This clarification resolves the confusion raised by medical students and associations, reaffirming that IMA conferences remain valid platforms for academic contributions under the current postgraduate regulations.
