New Delhi: The ‘Amicus Curiae’ (court-appointed advisors) appointed by the Supreme Court have attributed the recurring delays in medical admission, approvals, inspections, and appeals to persistent vacancies within the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the government’s failure to fill essential statutory posts. He stated that these shortcomings have disrupted the academic calendar, forcing students to bear the brunt of the system’s flaws.
In a report submitted to the Supreme Court, Amicus and Senior Advocate Maninder Singh noted that despite reform efforts, delays in approvals, inspections, appeals, and counselling have become commonplace.
The report highlights that medical admission schedules frequently extend well beyond the stipulated deadlines. For instance, admissions for the 2025-26 academic session continued until February 2026 for postgraduate (PG) courses and December 2025 for undergraduate (UG) courses.
“Students suffer the most due to these delays,” the report states. Medical seats remain vacant because the processes for approvals, renewals, and counselling are not completed within the prescribed timeframes. It pointed out that even though the academic session commenced on September 1, 2025, the approval and renewal processes for MBBS courses dragged on until November 2025.
The report also cites instances in which appeals regarding PG courses and the expansion of seat capacity proved futile because the counselling process had already progressed before a decision could be reached.
The Amicus has linked many of these delays to the persistent vacancies within the regulator and its autonomous boards. The report notes that a lack of regular officials has caused delays in framing regulations, processing applications, granting approvals, and adjudicating appeals.
Concerns regarding transparency have also been raised in the report. It states that, despite legal provisions, inspection reports and regulatory decisions are no longer being placed in the public domain.
The submission noted, “It is highly unfortunate that the body responsible for regulating medical education standards in the country and performing various functions under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, is functioning without the requisite officials.” The Amicus pointed out that even six years after the enactment of the NMC Act, several key statutory posts within the Commission and its autonomous boards remain vacant.
Although the Act provides for the appointment of presidents and members to these boards, many positions remain unfilled. The report further highlights the Central Government’s failure to fill several crucial posts mandated by law, including the position of Secretary, which carries a fixed tenure.
