The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released a new notice announcing updates to the Minimum Standards Requirements for Post-Graduate Courses, 2023. These revised rules are effective immediately, and all medical colleges are required to comply with the updated guidelines.
The notice updates the Post-Graduate Minimum Standards of Requirements (PGMSR) 2023. These guidelines explain what medical colleges must have in place to start and run postgraduate courses.
They cover important areas like infrastructure, faculty, hospital facilities, equipment, and patient load. The standards were first released in January 2024, updated in August 2024 and January 2025, and now revised again in February 2026.
Key Message from NMC
All medical colleges and institutions offering postgraduate courses must now follow the updated rules. There is no transition period, meaning the new guidelines take effect immediately.
What has changed: Explained simply
1. Basic hospital and infrastructure requirements
1. Infrastructure and Facilities
Medical colleges must have well-equipped hospital buildings and facilities as per government guidelines. This includes OPDs, inpatient wards, operation theatres, ICUs, laboratories, and emergency services.
All necessary approvals from the concerned authorities should already be in place.
2. Equipment and Learning Facilities
Each department should be equipped with modern tools and proper training resources. Colleges must also provide digital libraries, seminar halls, and reliable internet access.
In addition, every department must have dedicated teaching rooms with audio-visual facilities.
3. Patient Load Requirement
Hospitals should have a sufficient number of patients to ensure effective training.
At least 80% of hospital beds should remain occupied throughout the year. Departments must also have adequate ICU and HDU beds.
All patient records should be maintained digitally.
4. Faculty Rules
All faculty members must work full-time and are not allowed to engage in private practice during working hours.
They should also maintain at least 75% attendance throughout the year.
5. New Monitoring Measures
Medical colleges are required to follow strict monitoring systems:
- CCTV cameras must be installed across the campus
- Staff attendance must be recorded digitally using Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS)
- Proper patient data and hospital records must be maintained
6. Mandatory College Website Details
Every medical college must have an updated website with important information, including:
- List of departments
- PG courses and number of seats
- Faculty details for the last three years
- Student admission records
- Patient attendance and bed occupancy
- Number of surgeries performed
7. Bed and Department Requirements
Standalone postgraduate institutes must have at least 220 beds.
They must also include key departments such as:
- Biochemistry
- Pathology
- Microbiology
- Radiodiagnosis
- Anaesthesiology
8. New Digital Health Integration
Colleges must integrate their systems with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and generate ABHA IDs for patients.
9. Limit on PG Seats
In non-government medical colleges, a maximum of four seats per year is allowed when starting a new postgraduate course or increasing intake.
10. Workload Requirements for Training
Clear guidelines have been set to ensure proper clinical exposure for students. These include:
- Minimum number of patients per day
- Minimum surgeries per week
- Required number of X-rays, CT scans, and other tests
- Specific workload targets for departments like pathology, microbiology, and radiology
These rules ensure students gain enough practical experience during training.
11. Faculty to Student Ratio
The number of teachers required depends on the number of students:
- A Professor can guide 2–3 students
- An Associate Professor can guide 2 students
- An Assistant Professor can guide 1 student
12. Limits on Units and Beds
Each department can have a maximum of six units, and each unit can accommodate up to 40 beds.
Conclusion
These updated rules aim to improve the quality of postgraduate medical education by ensuring better infrastructure, adequate patient exposure, strict monitoring, and proper faculty availability.
Medical colleges across India must now follow these standards immediately.