A Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae has attributed recurring delays in medical admissions, approvals, inspections, and appeals to persistent vacancies at the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the government's failure to fill key statutory posts. The report, submitted by senior advocate Maninder Singh, states that these lapses have disrupted academic calendars, leaving students to bear the brunt of the system's shortcomings.
Recurring Delays Despite Reform Efforts
According to the amicus curiae's report to the Supreme Court, delays in approvals, inspections, appeals, and counselling have become a recurring feature despite years of reform efforts. Admission schedules are routinely stretching far beyond prescribed timelines. For the 2025-26 academic session, postgraduate admissions reportedly continued until February 2026, while undergraduate admissions extended until December 2025.
Impact on Students
The report emphasizes that "most of the sufferers in these delays are the students." Medical seats remain unfilled because approvals, renewals, and counselling are not completed within stipulated timelines. Permissions and renewals for MBBS courses continued until November 2025, despite the academic session having commenced on September 1, 2025. The report also cites instances where appeals relating to PG courses and seat increases became infructuous as counselling processes moved ahead before decisions could be taken.
Vacancies as Root Cause
The amicus linked many of these delays to persistent vacancies within the regulator and its autonomous boards. The absence of regular office-bearers has contributed to delays in framing regulations, processing applications, granting permissions, and deciding appeals. Six years after the NMC Act came into force, several statutory positions across the commission and its autonomous boards remain vacant. While the Act envisages multiple presidents and members across the boards, several positions remain unfilled. The report also noted that the Centre has failed to fill several key positions envisaged under the law, including the post of secretary for the prescribed tenure.
Lack of Transparency
The report also raised concerns over transparency, stating that inspection reports and regulatory decisions are no longer being routinely disclosed in the public domain despite statutory provisions requiring such publication. "It is very unfortunate that an authority responsible for regulating standards of medical education in the country and performing various functions under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019 is functioning without office-bearers," the submission stated.
The amicus report highlights the urgent need for the government to fill vacant positions to ensure smooth functioning of medical education regulation and prevent further disruptions to academic schedules.
