The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced a one-time relaxation for eligible MBBS students admitted from the 2019-20 academic session onwards. These students will receive one additional opportunity to clear the First Professional MBBS Examination, taking the maximum number of attempts from four to five.
The decision is expected to provide relief to students who could not pass their first-year medical examinations due to exceptional circumstances, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, health problems and personal difficulties.
NMC Approves Fifth Attempt for Eligible Students
The decision was approved during the NMC’s 18th meeting held on September 23, 2026. The commission considered requests from students, universities and other stakeholders seeking additional opportunities to complete the first year of the MBBS course.
Under the approved relaxation, eligible students who have already used their four permitted attempts will be allowed one more chance to pass the First Professional MBBS Examination.
The benefit will also cover students who have exceeded the prescribed four-year period for completing the first professional course, provided their admission remains valid and has not been cancelled by their university or medical college.
Who Will Not Be Eligible for Another Attempt?
The additional opportunity will not apply to students who have already received a mercy attempt under an earlier NMC decision or court order and have exhausted all five attempts.
Such students will not be permitted to appear for a sixth attempt under the latest decision.
The relaxation is intended to address eligible pending cases and does not establish a general rule allowing unlimited attempts in the future.
Ten-Year Limit for Completing MBBS Remains Unchanged
The NMC has clarified that the overall time limit for completing the MBBS course will remain unchanged. Students must complete the course, including the applicable Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI), within 10 years from the date of admission.
The additional examination attempt will not extend this maximum completion period.
The commission has described the decision as a one-time transitional measure. It will not be treated as a precedent for future academic batches or as a retrospective change to the existing regulations governing examination attempts.
Medical Colleges Asked to Implement the Decision
The NMC has advised universities, medical colleges and other concerned authorities to take note of the decision and process applications from eligible students accordingly.
For students who meet the specified conditions, the additional attempt could offer another opportunity to clear their first-year MBBS examination while remaining subject to the commission’s existing course-completion requirements.