National Medical Commission Announcement

New Delhi: In a major relief to PG medical graduates across the country, the National Medical Commission has announced some relaxations on the requirement of the Postgraduate thesis, in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. The relief relates to the submission of extension of submission deadlines, relaxation of requirement of submission of poster presentation, as well as the sample size used for the purpose of the thesis.

This came after the apex medical regulator, the National Medical Commission received several requests regarding the submission of the Postgraduate thesis of students for the batches admitted during academic years 2018-19 and 2019-20. The Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission, after having carefully considered all the requests, the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, and the training requirements of the Postgraduate degree students, has decided as under:

• The sub-clause 14 (4) (a) of the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations with regard to the submission of the Postgraduate thesis states as follows: "Thesis shall be submitted at least six months before the Theory and Clinical / Practical examination".

  In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PGMEB has decided to relax the said portion of the regulation and allow the Postgraduate degree students of batches 2018-19 and 2019-20 only, to submit their thesis at least three months before the Theory and Clinical/Practical examination.

• Further sub-clause 13.9 of the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations states as follows: "A postgraduate student of a Postgraduate degree course in broad specialties/super specialties would be required to present one poster presentation, to read one paper at a national/state conference, and to present one research paper which should be published/accepted for publication/sent for publication during the period of his Postgraduate studies so as to make him eligible to appear at the Postgraduate degree examination."

  In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PGMEB has decided to relax the said portion of the regulation and allow the Postgraduate students of batches 2018-19 only, in broad specialties/super specialties to be eligible to appear for their Postgraduate degree examinations even if they have not made a poster presentation, read a paper at a conference or submitted a research paper for publication.

• Further, in view of dearth of clinical material during current COVID-19 Pandemic, the Universities and Medical colleges/institutions are also advised that while evaluating the thesis submitted for acceptance for the batches 2018-19 and 2019-20, final sample size actually analyzed may be considered even if it is less than the committed sample size in the approved thesis protocol for the study.

To view the official notice, click on the following link: