Supreme Court Amicus Curiae Slams NMC Over Vacancies, Delays, and Transparency

The National Medical Commission (NMC) is facing severe scrutiny following a report submitted to the Supreme Court by Amicus Curiae and senior advocate Maninder Singh on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
The report explicitly highlights that even six years after the enactment of the NMC Act 2019, the apex medical regulator continues to function with persistent, long-standing vacancies in key statutory positions and office-bearer roles. This severe staff shortage has directly paralyzed the institution’s ability to frame regulations, process applications, and conduct critical medical college inspections in a timely manner.

Students Bearing the Brunt of Administrative Delays

According to the Supreme Court submission, the ultimate victims of this systemic inefficiency are the medical students themselves. The report detailed how the academic calendar has been thrown into complete disarray due to regulatory delays. For the 2025-26 academic session, undergraduate MBBS admissions dragged on until December 2025, while postgraduate counselling stretched all the way to February 2026. Furthermore, due to the slow disposal of appeals regarding seat enhancements and college renewals, many crucial medical seats remained unfilled, rendering the appeals process practically ineffective.

Transparency and Corruption Concerns

Adding fuel to the fire, the amicus curiae raised serious concerns regarding a complete lack of transparency within the commission’s current operations. Inspection reports of medical colleges and crucial regulatory decisions – which are legally mandated to be published – are no longer being made accessible to the public. Amidst rising allegations of irregularities, the medical fraternity is now demanding urgent government intervention to fill these leadership vacancies and restore accountability before the upcoming academic cycle is completely derailed.