# PGMER 2023 FAQs — Part 2: Definitions, Admissions & Reservation Rules Author: Dr.Pushpinder Kaur Author URL: https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/author/dr-pushpinder-kaur Published: 2026-07-17 Category: NMC Category URL: https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/category/nmc Meta Title: PGMER 2023 FAQs Part 2 — Definitions, Admissions & Reservation | NMC Meta Description: FAQs on NMC's PGMER 2023: what MSR, feeder specialty and NExT mean, how PG counselling works, and disability reservation rules for PG medical admission. Tags: NMC, national medical commission Tag URLs: NMC (https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/tag/nmc), national medical commission (https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/tag/national-medical-commission) URL: https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/pgmer-2023-faqs-part-2-definitions-admissions-reservation ## PGMER 2023 FAQs — Part 2: Definitions, Admissions & Reservation Rules More commonly searched questions on NMC's Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 — this time covering key definitions, the admission/counselling process, and reservation rules. ![PGMER 2023 definitions, admissions and reservation rules](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmr8wix7i000001xg58xczaok/images/pgmer2hero-1785484317739-compressed.png) ### what counts as a "medical institution" under nmc pg rules? It's the same definition as in the NMC Act — any institution covered under Section 2(i) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 — and the term specifically includes what people commonly call a "medical college." _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(c)_ ### what does msr mean in nmc pg rules? MSR stands for Minimum Standards of Requirement — the infrastructure and staffing benchmarks notified by UGMEB (for MBBS) or PGMEB (for PG courses), including any explanatory notes, circulars or advisories they issue. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(f)_ ### what is the difference between neet pg and neet ss? NEET-PG is the entrance test for broad-specialty courses (MD/MS/Diploma). NEET-SS is the separate entrance test for super-specialty courses (DM/MCh), conducted under Section 14 of the NMC Act. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(g)-(h)_ ### what is next and does it replace neet pg? NExT (National Exit Test) is meant to eventually become the common final-year MBBS exam that also serves as the PG entrance ranking exam. Until the first NExT-based batch is ready, the existing NEET-PG system continues as before. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(i); Clause 4.1_ ### what is the difference between pgmeb and ugmeb? PGMEB is the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board and UGMEB is the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board — both constituted under Section 16 of the NMC Act, handling PG and UG medical education respectively. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(d)-(e)_ ### what does "feeder specialty" mean for dm mch admission? It's the broad-specialty (MD/MS/DNB) qualification you must already hold to be eligible for a particular super-specialty course. For example, the feeder qualifications for DM Cardiology are MD/DNB in General Medicine, Paediatrics, or Respiratory Medicine. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(k); Annexure-7_ ### can my pg diploma seat be converted into an md ms degree seat? Yes, but only the college can apply — it applies to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) to convert diploma seats into degree seats. New applications to increase diploma seat numbers are no longer being accepted at all. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 2.1, footnote_ ### can a government hospital start an md ms course without an mbbs college attached? Yes — existing or proposed non-teaching hospitals owned and managed by government can start PG courses without an undergraduate college attached, as long as they meet the prescribed norms. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.1(iii)_ ### how soon after starting an mbbs course can a college apply to start a pg course? Only one year after being permitted to start the UG course — that is, during the second year of running the MBBS course. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.1(ii)_ ### do pg medical colleges have to pay nmc an annual fee? Yes, medical colleges/institutions must pay an Annual Fee prescribed by NMC for the purpose of annual evaluation and affiliation. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.3_ ### what is pgmsr 2023? It's the Minimum Standards of Requirement document specifically for PG medical education — covering physical infrastructure, teaching staff, clinical material, and hospital-related conditions a college must satisfy to run a PG course. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.4_ ### can a college admit a pg candidate directly without going through counselling? No. All rounds of PG counselling for every seat must be held online by the state or central counselling authority, and no medical college or institution is allowed to admit any candidate on its own. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.3_ ### who runs counselling for all india quota pg seats vs state quota seats? The Central Government or its designated authority runs counselling for All-India Quota seats; the concerned State Government/UT administration handles State quota seats. For all super-specialty seats, the Central Government/designated authority handles counselling. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.4_ ### what happens if a college forgets to enter its course fee in the pg seat matrix? That seat simply won't be counted for admission purposes — colleges must mention the fee for each course when entering seat matrix details, or the seat is excluded. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.3_ ### how soon does a college have to report its final admitted pg list? The counselling authority must submit the final list of admitted students to PGMEB within one week of completing common counselling; the institution itself must submit its final joined-students list within one week of the last date for joining. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.6_ ### if my college gets nmc permission after the counselling notification date, can i still join this year? No — only institutions permitted before the date of the Common Counselling notification can admit students that year. Colleges that get permission after that date participate from the following academic year's counselling instead. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.6, proviso_ ### is there a reserved quota for candidates with disabilities in pg medical admission? Yes — 5% of the annual sanctioned intake in Government or government-aided institutions must be filled with candidates having benchmark disabilities, drawn from the NExT/NEET-PG merit list. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.8_ ### what is the minimum disability percentage needed to claim the pwd quota in pg admission? You need at least 40% disability (defined as "Benchmark Disability") to be eligible for the PwD reservation. _Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, note 3_ ### can someone with thalassemia or sickle cell disease get pg admission under the disability quota? Yes — they're listed under "Blood Disorders" as a specified disability, and are eligible for the PwD quota if their assessed disability falls between 40% and 80%. _Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 4(b)_ ### is autism spectrum disorder eligible for the pg disability quota? A candidate with mild ASD can be found fit to pursue a PG course by an expert panel, but currently does not get PwD-quota reservation benefit — NMC has flagged this as "not recommended" for now due to the lack of an objective severity-assessment tool, though it may be reconsidered later. More than 60% disability, or being assessed unfit, makes a candidate ineligible altogether. _Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 2(b)_ ### can a candidate with a history of mental illness pursue a pg medical course? Yes — NMC's own wording states "no mental disorder is barred from pursuing PG medical education" subject to being eligible in NExT/NEET-PG, although PwD-quota reservation specifically for mental illness is not currently being extended. _Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 3_ ### what happens to pwd reserved pg seats if no eligible disabled candidate is available? Unfilled seats reserved for a disability category get added back into that category's general annual sanctioned seats, rather than staying vacant. _Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.8, proviso_ ![How PG counselling and admission works under PGMER 2023](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cmr8wix7i000001xg58xczaok/images/pgmer2infographic-1785484319369-compressed.png) ## Related NMC Regulation FAQs For more on PGMER 2023 and other NMC regulatory frameworks, see also: - [PGMER 2023 FAQs — faculty, examinations and penalties](https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/pgmer-2023-faqs-part-3-faculty-exams-penalties) - [District Residency Programme FAQs — implementation and grievances](https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/drp-faqs-part-2-implementation-supervision-grievances) - [FAQs on NMC teacher eligibility, PGMER, MARB, and DRP rules](https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/faqs-nmc-medical-college-teacher-eligibility) For current academic openings, see our [faculty vacancy listings across medical colleges](https://doctorfaculty.com/blog/medical-college-faculty-vacancies-india-2026). This article is for general informational purposes based on our reading of the notified regulations and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements can be amended by NMC from time to time — please verify current rules directly with the National Medical Commission before making decisions. ## FAQs Q: what counts as a "medical institution" under nmc pg rules? A: It's the same definition as in the NMC Act — any institution covered under Section 2(i) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 — and the term specifically includes what people commonly call a "medical college." (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(c)) Q: what does msr mean in nmc pg rules? A: MSR stands for Minimum Standards of Requirement — the infrastructure and staffing benchmarks notified by UGMEB (for MBBS) or PGMEB (for PG courses), including any explanatory notes, circulars or advisories they issue. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(f)) Q: what is the difference between neet pg and neet ss? A: NEET-PG is the entrance test for broad-specialty courses (MD/MS/Diploma). NEET-SS is the separate entrance test for super-specialty courses (DM/MCh), conducted under Section 14 of the NMC Act. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(g)-(h)) Q: what is next and does it replace neet pg? A: NExT (National Exit Test) is meant to eventually become the common final-year MBBS exam that also serves as the PG entrance ranking exam. Until the first NExT-based batch is ready, the existing NEET-PG system continues as before. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(i); Clause 4.1) Q: what is the difference between pgmeb and ugmeb? A: PGMEB is the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board and UGMEB is the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board — both constituted under Section 16 of the NMC Act, handling PG and UG medical education respectively. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(d)-(e)) Q: what does "feeder specialty" mean for dm mch admission? A: It's the broad-specialty (MD/MS/DNB) qualification you must already hold to be eligible for a particular super-specialty course. For example, the feeder qualifications for DM Cardiology are MD/DNB in General Medicine, Paediatrics, or Respiratory Medicine. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 1.2(k); Annexure-7) Q: can my pg diploma seat be converted into an md ms degree seat? A: Yes, but only the college can apply — it applies to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) to convert diploma seats into degree seats. New applications to increase diploma seat numbers are no longer being accepted at all. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 2.1, footnote) Q: can a government hospital start an md ms course without an mbbs college attached? A: Yes — existing or proposed non-teaching hospitals owned and managed by government can start PG courses without an undergraduate college attached, as long as they meet the prescribed norms. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.1(iii)) Q: how soon after starting an mbbs course can a college apply to start a pg course? A: Only one year after being permitted to start the UG course — that is, during the second year of running the MBBS course. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.1(ii)) Q: do pg medical colleges have to pay nmc an annual fee? A: Yes, medical colleges/institutions must pay an Annual Fee prescribed by NMC for the purpose of annual evaluation and affiliation. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.3) Q: what is pgmsr 2023? A: It's the Minimum Standards of Requirement document specifically for PG medical education — covering physical infrastructure, teaching staff, clinical material, and hospital-related conditions a college must satisfy to run a PG course. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 3.4) Q: can a college admit a pg candidate directly without going through counselling? A: No. All rounds of PG counselling for every seat must be held online by the state or central counselling authority, and no medical college or institution is allowed to admit any candidate on its own. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.3) Q: who runs counselling for all india quota pg seats vs state quota seats? A: The Central Government or its designated authority runs counselling for All-India Quota seats; the concerned State Government/UT administration handles State quota seats. For all super-specialty seats, the Central Government/designated authority handles counselling. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.4) Q: what happens if a college forgets to enter its course fee in the pg seat matrix? A: That seat simply won't be counted for admission purposes — colleges must mention the fee for each course when entering seat matrix details, or the seat is excluded. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.3) Q: how soon does a college have to report its final admitted pg list? A: The counselling authority must submit the final list of admitted students to PGMEB within one week of completing common counselling; the institution itself must submit its final joined-students list within one week of the last date for joining. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.6) Q: if my college gets nmc permission after the counselling notification date, can i still join this year? A: No — only institutions permitted before the date of the Common Counselling notification can admit students that year. Colleges that get permission after that date participate from the following academic year's counselling instead. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.6, proviso) Q: is there a reserved quota for candidates with disabilities in pg medical admission? A: Yes — 5% of the annual sanctioned intake in Government or government-aided institutions must be filled with candidates having benchmark disabilities, drawn from the NExT/NEET-PG merit list. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.8) Q: what is the minimum disability percentage needed to claim the pwd quota in pg admission? A: You need at least 40% disability (defined as "Benchmark Disability") to be eligible for the PwD reservation. (Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, note 3) Q: can someone with thalassemia or sickle cell disease get pg admission under the disability quota? A: Yes — they're listed under "Blood Disorders" as a specified disability, and are eligible for the PwD quota if their assessed disability falls between 40% and 80%. (Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 4(b)) Q: is autism spectrum disorder eligible for the pg disability quota? A: A candidate with mild ASD can be found fit to pursue a PG course by an expert panel, but currently does not get PwD-quota reservation benefit — NMC has flagged this as "not recommended" for now due to the lack of an objective severity-assessment tool, though it may be reconsidered later. More than 60% disability, or being assessed unfit, makes a candidate ineligible altogether. (Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 2(b)) Q: can a candidate with a history of mental illness pursue a pg medical course? A: Yes — NMC's own wording states "no mental disorder is barred from pursuing PG medical education" subject to being eligible in NExT/NEET-PG, although PwD-quota reservation specifically for mental illness is not currently being extended. (Source: PGMER 2023, Annexure-9, item 3) Q: what happens to pwd reserved pg seats if no eligible disabled candidate is available? A: Unfilled seats reserved for a disability category get added back into that category's general annual sanctioned seats, rather than staying vacant. (Source: PGMER 2023, Clause 4.8, proviso) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---