- The Medical Council of India was dissolved on 25 September 2020 and replaced by the National Medical Commission under the National Medical Commission Act 2019, which repealed the Indian Medical Council Act 1956
- The NMC works through four autonomous boards, and the proposed National Exit Test remains deferred to around 2028.
What Was the Medical Council of India?
The Medical Council of India was the statutory body that regulated medical education and registered doctors from 1934 until 2020. Created under the Indian Medical Council Act, it set curriculum standards, recognised medical qualifications, and inspected colleges. It was dissolved on 25 September 2020 and replaced by the National Medical Commission.
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was first established under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933, and reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. For decades it was the apex regulator of allopathic medical education in India, responsible for maintaining a uniform standard across the country's medical colleges.
- Recognising and de-recognising medical qualifications and degrees
- Granting permission to establish new medical colleges and increase seats
- Inspecting colleges to enforce minimum standards of infrastructure and teaching
- Maintaining the Indian Medical Register of qualified doctors
Over time the MCI attracted sustained criticism over corruption in college inspections, a lack of transparency, and weak governance, which eventually prompted a complete legislative overhaul of how medical education is regulated in India.
MBBS in India: complete guideRead →Why Was the Medical Council of India Abolished?
The MCI faced long-standing criticism over corruption, opaque college inspections, and governance failures. In 2018 the government superseded it with a Board of Governors. Parliament then passed the National Medical Commission Act 2019, which repealed the 64-year-old Indian Medical Council Act 1956 and dissolved the MCI on 25 September 2020.
As a transitional measure, a Board of Governors superseded the MCI on 26 September 2018 and ran its functions until the new regulator was ready. The Board of Governors was itself dissolved once the National Medical Commission became operational, ending nearly 64 years of regulation under the 1956 Act.
What Is the National Medical Commission (NMC)?
The National Medical Commission is India's apex regulator of medical education and practice, constituted under the NMC Act 2019 and operational from 25 September 2020. It comprises 33 members, including a chairperson, ten ex-officio members, and 22 part-time members, and works through four autonomous boards that replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India.
The National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Act 30 of 2019) received presidential assent on 8 August 2019 and came into force on 25 September 2020 by gazette notification. It replaced the elected-council model with a leaner commission and four specialised boards, and shifted much of the day-to-day regulatory work to those boards.
| Aspect 2026 | Medical Council of India (until 2020) | National Medical Commission (2020 onward) |
|---|---|---|
| Governing law | Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 | National Medical Commission Act, 2019 |
| Status | Dissolved 25 September 2020 | Operational since 25 September 2020 |
| Structure | Single elected council | Commission plus four autonomous boards |
| Doctor registration | Indian Medical Register | National Medical Register (EMRB) |
| College approval | MCI recognition | Medical Assessment and Rating Board |
What Are the Four Autonomous Boards Under the NMC?
The NMC operates through four autonomous boards. The Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Medical Education Boards set curriculum, standards, and grant recognition to qualifications. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board approves new colleges and seats and penalises substandard institutions. The Ethics and Medical Registration Board maintains the National Medical Register and regulates professional conduct.
- Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) — undergraduate standards, curriculum, and recognition
- Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) — postgraduate standards, curriculum, and recognition
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) — permission for new colleges, seats, and penalties
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) — National Medical Register and professional conduct
Each board is headed by a president and includes members appointed by the central government. Together they carry out the recognition, assessment, and registration functions that the Medical Council of India previously handled as a single elected body.
MBBS in Germany for Indian studentsRead →How Does the NMC Regulate Medical Colleges and Doctors?
Under the NMC, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board grants permission to open a medical college, start postgraduate courses, or add seats, and can fine institutions that fall below minimum standards. Doctors must register with the Ethics and Medical Registration Board, which maintains a National Medical Register of all licensed practitioners in India.
This split of duties is the biggest practical change from the MCI era. College approvals and ratings now sit with a dedicated assessment board, while ethics, licensing, and the national register of doctors are handled separately, aiming for clearer accountability and faster, rules-based decisions.
What Is the National Exit Test (NExT)?
The National Exit Test is a common examination introduced by the NMC to replace NEET-PG and the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination. It will serve as both the final MBBS licentiate exam and the gateway to postgraduate seats. As of 2026 it remains deferred, with implementation now expected around 2028.
NExT is designed as a two-step, computer-based and practical examination that final-year MBBS students and foreign medical graduates would need to clear to practise in India. Its rollout has been postponed several times, so candidates should follow official NMC notifications for the confirmed schedule and pattern.