The Medical Council of India has allowed the MBBS students to practice as medical specialists in case they have done the two-year diploma courses from the Mumbai-based College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Health Ministry issued a notification in this regard.

The CPS offers two-year diploma courses in broad specialties like anaesthesia, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, radiology and a few others. These were till recently were recognised only by Maharashtra and Gujarat Government.

Now MBBS doctors in Government hospitals are eligible to become specialists in two years.

All 200-bed multi-specialty hospitals and 100 bed single hospitals in Government and private sector having experienced faculties and adequate clinical load will be eligible to host the CPS training courses.

In keeping with the Supreme Court order on a single entrance for all post graduate courses, CPS too will be taking in only NEET-qualified candidates and through a centralised counselling.

India is producing 63,835 MBBS graduates every year but has less than 25,000 PG seats.

Diploma courses run by CPS would not be treated as a recognised medical qualification for the purpose of teaching. The courses will be reviewed every three years for their continuation.

The three-year fellowship programmes are not recognised by MCI but only 2-year diploma courses are recognised.

CPS diploma holders will be eligible for Post Diploma (Secondary) DNB course run by National Board of Examinations

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (Department of Health and Family Welfare) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 17th October, 2017 S.O. 3402(E).—

In exercise of the power conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 11 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Central Government after consulting the Medical Council of India, hereby makes the following further amendments in the First Schedule of the Act, namely;

The following Broad Specialty Diploma Courses (two years courses at the Post MBBS level) granted by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mumbai, shall be inserted, namely

“…List of 39 Diplomas………………………………”

Note : (i) All the admissions should be through NEET PG and centralized counselling and as per Government policy from time to time.

(ii) The CPS qualifications shall not be treated as a recognized medical qualification for the purpose of teaching.

(iii) Further, any postgraduate degree course to be run by the CPS shall be with the prior approval of this Ministry subject to fulfilment of stipulations prescribed on the lines of Minimum Standard Requirement Regulations of MCI.

[No. V.11025/14/2015-MEP] ARUN SINGHAL, Jt. Secy.

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri AwardeeVice President CMAAOGroup Editor-in-chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Immediate Past National President IMA