Lok Sabha Question No. 200 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Diploma Course for Graduate Doctors
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Rajeev Bharadwaj

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. †*200 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST AUGUST, 2025.

## DIPLOMACOURSE FOR GRADUATE DOCTORS

## †*200. Dr. RAJEEV BHARADWAJ:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to deploy specialist doctors to rural and remote hilly areas in order to improve health services;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any diploma course has been introduced for graduate doctors and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether admission to the said diploma course is also likely to be conducted through NEET examination and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the said diploma course is restricted only to graduate doctors working in district hospitals and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (e): AStatement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHASTARRED QUESTION NO. †*200 FOR 1 ST AUGUST, 2025

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(a) to (e): Under National Health Mission (NHM), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).

Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging specialist doctors to practice in rural and remote areas to improve health services in the country:

-  Hard area allowance to specialist doctors to serve in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters, so that they find it attractive to serve in public health facilities in such areas.
-  Honorarium to Gynecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmoC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections in rural & remote areas.
-  States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialists including flexibility in strategies such as 'You Quote We Pay'.
-  Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced under NHM.
-  Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing Human Resource (HR) is another major strategy under NHM for improvement in health outcomes.

Further, the District Residency Programme (DRP) notified by the National Medical Commission (NMC) provides for a compulsory three months posting cum training of PG medical students at District Hospitals as a part of the course curriculum. DRP benefits the public by strengthening healthcare delivery in rural and underserved areas.

Diploma courses in various medical specialties are offered by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) for candidates who have completed their MBBS. Admission to these diploma programs is conducted through the NEET-PG examination.

As per information provided by National Board Of Examinations In Medical Sciences (NBEMS), it has introduced 9 Post MBBS Diploma Courses since 2020. The admission to these Diploma Courses is done through NEET-PG. Any MBBS doctor in the country is eligible for admission to Diploma courses, subject to the fulfilment of Eligibility Criteria indicated in the NEET-PG information bulletin. Diploma courses are not restricted only to the graduate doctors working in the district hospitals.

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