The Delhi High Court has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reconsider the eligibility rules for Doctorate of Medicine (DM) super-specialty courses and include MD in Geriatric Medicine as an eligible qualification.
Justice Jasmeet Singh passed the order on August 11, 2026, while disposing of a petition filed by doctors holding postgraduate degrees in Geriatric Medicine. The doctors had challenged their exclusion from applying for medicine-related DM courses through the NEET-SS and INI-SS examinations.
Background of the Case
The petitioners, who hold MD degrees in Geriatric Medicine, argued that their qualification had been left out of the list of postgraduate degrees that could be used to apply for DM specializations.
The issue had been raised before the authorities several times. The record showed that representations were made as early as 2018, followed by emails, RTI applications and further letters in 2023. However, the petitioners said no effective action was taken.
AIIMS, which conducts the DM entrance examination through INI-SS, had also not treated MD Geriatric Medicine as an eligible qualification for the examination.
Court's Observation
The NMC told the Court that MD Geriatric Medicine was excluded because the available physical infrastructure, teaching staff, clinical material and hospital facilities were considered insufficient to make it a qualifying postgraduate degree for DM super-specialty courses.
Justice Jasmeet Singh was not persuaded that these reasons were sufficient to prevent doctors with the qualification from pursuing further specialization.
The Court observed:
“The inadequacy in the number of doctors in the field cannot, however, be a ground to deny doctors holding an MD in Geriatric Medicine the opportunity to pursue DM Super Specialty Courses and thereby advance their professional and career prospects.”
The Court also noted that the documents relied upon by AIIMS were from 2019 and more than seven years old by the time of the order.
Decision
The Delhi High Court directed the NMC to have a re-look at the eligibility framework and include MD Geriatric Medicine as an eligible qualification for DM specializations.
The Court further directed that the necessary action be taken expeditiously and disposed of the writ petition with these directions.
Case Details:
Case Title: Kartik Mittal and Ors. v. National Medical Commission and Ors.
Case Number: W.P.(C) 11242/2023 & CM APPL. 43795/2023
Judge: Justice Jasmeet Singh
Decision Date: August 11, 2026
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