NMC grants one-time extra attempt to eligible MBBS students to clear first-year exam
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, Oct 16, 2026: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted a one-time additional attempt to eligible MBBS students admitted from the 2019-20 academic year onwards to clear the First Professional MBBS examination, providing relief to students with pending backlogs.
In a public notice dated October 15, the commission said the decision was approved at its 18th meeting held on September 23, following representations from students, universities and other stakeholders. The requests cited difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, health issues and other personal circumstances.
Under the relaxation, eligible students can take a fifth attempt to clear the examination, in addition to the four attempts ordinarily permitted. However, the concession is subject to specific conditions and will not benefit students who have already availed themselves of an additional mercy attempt.
Who is eligible?
Students admitted to the MBBS course in the 2019-20 academic year or later can avail themselves of the additional attempt, provided they meet the prescribed conditions.
The concession also covers students who have exceeded the stipulated four-year period for completing the First Professional course, provided their admission remains valid and has not been cancelled by the concerned university or college.
Students who have already used a fifth attempt under an earlier NMC decision or a court order will not be eligible for another additional attempt under the latest relaxation.
The commission has further clarified that the total duration for completing the MBBS course, including the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI), must not exceed 10 years from the date of admission.
The NMC described the decision as a one-time transitional measure for eligible pending cases and clarified that it should not be treated as a precedent for future academic batches.
What were the earlier rules?
Under the existing regulations, MBBS students are generally permitted a maximum of four attempts to clear the First Professional examination, with a four-year limit for completing the course.
The NMC had previously relaxed these requirements for students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In May 2023, it permitted students admitted in the 2019-20 academic year an additional, fifth attempt to clear the examination.
In December 2023, the commission extended the same one-time concession to students admitted in 2020-21, acknowledging that this batch had also faced pandemic-related disruptions.
Both earlier decisions specified that the relaxation would not establish a precedent for future cases.
The latest notice provides conditional relief to eligible students admitted from the 2019-20 academic year onwards, while making it clear that students who have already availed themselves of a mercy attempt cannot claim a sixth attempt under the new decision.