The Delhi High Court has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reconsider including MD Geriatric Medicine as an eligible feeder qualification for DM super-speciality courses.
The case involved doctors who challenged the exclusion of their qualification from the eligibility criteria for DM courses through the NEET-SS and INI-SS examinations.
Infrastructure Shortage Not a Valid Ground
The NMC had cited inadequate infrastructure, teaching staff, clinical material and hospitals as reasons for excluding MD Geriatric Medicine. However, the court found these reasons insufficient to deny doctors opportunities for further specialisation.
As per Medical Dialogues, the court also noted that the authorities had relied on documents from 2019, making them more than seven years old.
Expanding Geriatric Care
The court observed that a shortage of geriatric specialists should instead encourage authorities to increase training seats and develop the specialty further. It held that the lack of doctors in the field cannot be used to prevent qualified MD Geriatric Medicine doctors from pursuing DM super-speciality training.
NMC Asked to Act Expeditiously
The Delhi High Court has therefore directed the NMC to re-examine the eligibility criteria and include MD Geriatric Medicine for DM specialisations. The court also asked the authority to complete the process expeditiously.