In a move aimed to promote research and clinical skill development among post-graduate students, the National Medical Commission, country's top medical education regulator has for the first time introduced post-doctoral fellowship courses in medical colleges regulated by it.

 Medical institutions till now were creating and approving these courses at their own level to train doctors.

The regulator recently notified "Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023" according to which once a medical college is granted permission to start PG courses or seats, the course will be treated as recognised.

This will solve many difficulties faced by students to register their degree after passing postgraduate examinations, Dr Vijay Oza, President of Post-Graduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission (NMC) explained.

As per the new regulations which have replaced the Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, the existing NEET-PG examination will continue till the proposed National Exit Test (NExT) becomes operational for the purpose of PG admission.

The new regulations state that all post-graduate students will work as full-time resident doctors and for "reasonable working hours" and will be provided "reasonable time for rest" in a day.

They will be permitted a minimum 20 days of casual leaves per year and five days of academic leave per year.

Subject to exigencies of work, post-graduate students will be allowed one weekly holiday, the new regulations said.

"Earlier there was no written provision of leaves," Dr Oza said.