The Health Ministry has made amendments to the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, and has instructed all medical colleges to introduce PG courses in all existing medical colleges.

All existing medical colleges will have to start PG courses from academic year 2020-21, according to amendments made to the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, of the Medical Council of India (MCI). The regulations will also apply to new medical colleges, besides dealing with existing private and government colleges, and they will have to start PG courses within three years of receiving recognition for running undergraduate courses.

Institutions failing to do so will lose their recognition, a senior Health Ministry official said. The ministry has approved the amendments and the new regulations would to be notified soon. "The move is aimed at addressing the scarcity of doctors in the country. Once the amendments get implemented, around 10,000 post-graduate seats would be created over the next four years," the official said. The official said medical colleges will have to apply for new seats for starting PG courses. The MCI will conduct an inspection before giving its approval for increasing seats for 2019-20 academic session.