Collaborating Partner:
Postgraduate Medical Education (PME) Project
India
The information listed for India was provided by individuals knowledgeable about PME in India. If you note errors or omissions or would like to provide additional information, click here.
- Duration of studies
- Trainee selection process
- Specialty curriculum authority
- Licensing authority
- Areas of specialization
- Legal references
Duration of studies
Candidates must hold a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree or its equivalent and complete an internship before applying for PME programs (residency). There are four levels of PME in India:
- Diplomas: 2 years (following MBBS degree or postgraduate degree)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) / Master of Surgery (MS) / Broad Specialty Diplomate of National Board (DNB): 3 years (following MBBS degree)
- Doctor of Medicine (DM) / Master of Chirurgie (MCh) / Super Specialty DNB: 3 years (following MD, MS, or Broad Specialty DNB degree)
- Fellow of National Board (FNB): 2 years, following a DM, MCh, or Super Specialty DNB degree
Trainee selection process
Entry into PME programs is based strictly on merit and is assessed by national or individual state/institute entrance examinations. All examinations are comprised of written multiple choice questions. Applicants can, and generally do, take multiple examinations conducted by different institutions. Although there is considerable variation, most state government-affiliated programs at the MD/MS level accept 50% of students based on the national examination and 50% based on state examinations. In addition, 50% of PME positions are reserved in most states for physicians belonging to the economically underprivileged segments of Indian society (as specified in the Indian Constitution).
Specialty curriculum authority
The Postgraduate Committee of the Medical Council of India develops specialty curricula as well as guidelines for universities offering MD, MS, DM, and MCh degree programs, and determines minimum standards for the programs. The final curriculum for each program is designed by the regional University Board of Studies.
Licensing authority
Areas of specialization
- Diplomas (following MBBS):
- Anesthesiology (DA)
- Clinical Pathology (DCP)
- Community Medicine (DCM)
- Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy (DDVL)
- Forensic Medicine (DFM)
- Health Education (DHE)
- Health Administration (DHA)
- Immuno-hematology & Blood Transfusion (DIHBT)
- Marine Medicine (Dip MM)
- Microbiology (DMicro)
- Nutrition (DN)
- Obstetrics & Gynecology (DGO)
- Occupational Health (DOH)
- Ophthalmology (DO)
- Orthopedics (DOrtho)
- Otorhinolaryngology (DLO)
- Pediatrics (DCH)
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (DPhyMed&R)
- Psychiatry (DPM)
- Public Health (DPH)
- Radio-diagnosis (DMRD)
- Radio-therapy (DMRT)
- Radiological Physics (DRP)
- Sports Medicine (DSM)
- Tropical Medicine & Health (DTM&H)
- Tuberculosis & Chest Diseases (DTCD)
- Virology (DVir)
- Radiation Medicine (DRM)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD, following MBBS):
- Anesthesiology
- Aviation Medicine
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Community Medicine
- Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy
- Family Medicine
- Forensic Medicine
- General Medicine
- Geriatrics
- Health Administration
- Hospital Administration
- Immuno-hematology and Blood Transfusion
- Medical Genetics
- Microbiology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Pathology
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Physiology
- Psychiatry
- Radio-diagnosis
- Radio-therapy
- Rheumatology
- Sports Medicine
- Tropical Medicine
- Tuberculosis & Respiratory Medicine or Pulmonary Medicine
- Master of Surgery (MS, following MBBS):
- General Surgery
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Broad Specialty Diplomate of National Board (DNB, following MBBS or Diploma):
- Anesthesiology
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Dermatology & Venereology
- Emergency Medicine
- Field Epidemiology
- Family Medicine
- Forensic Medicine
- General Medicine
- General Surgery
- Health Administration including Hospital Administration
- Immunohematology & Transfusion Medicine
- Maternal and Child Health
- Microbiology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
- Pediatrics
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Physiology
- Psychiatry
- Radio Diagnosis
- Radio Therapy
- Respiratory Diseases
- Rural Surgery
- Social and Preventive Medicine
- Doctor of Medicine (DM, following MD, or recognized equivalent, in an appropriate subject area as shown in the table below):
| Specialty | Prior degree |
| Cardiology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pediatrics) |
| Clinical Hematology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pathology) MD (Pediatrics) MD (Biochemistry) |
| Clinical Pharmacology | MD (Pharmacology) |
| Endocrinology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pediatrics) MD (Biochemistry) |
| Immunology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pathology) MD (Microbiology) MD (Pediatrics) MD (Biochemistry) MD (Physiology) |
| Medical Gastroenterology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pediatrics) |
| Medical Genetics | MD/MS in any subject |
| Medical Oncology | MD (Medicine)
MS (Radio-therapy) MD (Pediatrics) |
| Neonatology | MD (Pediatrics) |
| Nephrology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pediatrics) |
| Neurology | MD (Medicine)
MD (Pediatrics) |
| Neuro-radiology | MD (Radio-diagnosis) |
- Master of Chirurgie (MCh, following MS, or recognized equivalent, in an appropriate subject area as shown in the table below):
| Specialty | Prior degree |
| Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
| Endocrine Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
| Gynecological Oncology | MD/MS (Obstetrics & Gynecology) |
| Neuro-Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
| Pediatrics Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
| Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
| Surgical Gastroenterology | MS (General Surgery) |
| Surgical Oncology | MS (General Surgery)
MS (ENT) MS (Orthopedics) MD (Obstetrics & Gynecology) |
| Urology | MS (General Surgery) |
| Vascular Surgery | MS (General Surgery) |
- Super Specialty Diplomate of National Board (DNB following MD/MS/Broad Specialty DNB):
- Cardiac Anesthesia
- Cardio Thoracic Surgery
- Cardiology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Endovascular & Interventional Radiology
- Gastroenterology
- Genito Urinary Surgery (Urology)
- Hematology
- Medical Genetics
- Medical Oncology
- Neonatology
- Nephrology
- Neuro Anesthesia & Critical Care
- Neuro Surgery
- Neurology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Pediatric Surgery
- Peripheral Vascular Surgery
- Plastic Surgery
- Rheumatology
- Surgical Gastroenterology
- Surgical Oncology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Super Specialty DNB Program: 6 Year Program
- Post MBBS
- Cardio Thoracic Surgery (Direct 6 Year Course)
- Neuro Surgery (Direct 6 Year Course)
- Pediatric Surgery (Direct 6 Year Course)
- Plastic Surgery (Direct 6 Year Course)
- Fellow of National Board (FNB following MD/MS/DM/MCh/ Super Specialty DNB)
- Arthroplasty
- Breast Imaging (One Year Program)
- Body MR Imaging (One Year Program)
- Cross Sectional Body Imaging (One Year Program)
- Hand & Micro Surgery
- High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Laboratory Medicine
- Liver Transplantation
- Minimal Access Surgery
- Pediatric Hemato - Oncology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Reproductive Medicine
- Spine Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Trauma Care
- Vitreo Retinal Surgery
Legal references