The National Medical Commission (NMC) - India’s regulatory authority for medical education and practice has approved an in-principle decision to integrate clinical research into the core medical curriculum of both undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate (PG) programs. This means that clinical research will no longer be an optional or peripheral component of medical training, but will be embedded into the formal curriculum, including assessment and training requirements for medical students across the country.
According to the NMC Chairperson Dr. Abhijat Sheth, clinical research is a central aspect of clinical medicine and should be taught as such rather than remaining optional or purely academic. Incorporating research into mainstream medical education is expected to enhance the quality of medical training, foster critical scientific inquiry, and build stronger evidence-based practice skills among future doctors.
To implement this change, the NMC plans to establish a joint committee comprising representatives from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), selected Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and medical education experts. This committee will draft a detailed proposal outlining how clinical research will be integrated into teaching, clinical training, and student assessment on a large scale.
The ICMR has also expressed interest in launching new PhD programmes focused on clinical research, indicating a broader initiative to build research capacity across the medical education ecosystem.
Under the new policy framework, clinical research training is expected to be part of both the curriculum content and formal assessment for MBBS and postgraduate medical degrees. This means that students will not only learn research methodology and conduct studies but may be evaluated on research competencies as part of their examinations and training milestones.
Integrating clinical research into assessments aims to ensure that future physicians are familiar with study design, data interpretation, ethical research conduct, and evidence-based decision making, rather than approaching research as a one-time requirement or elective activity.
Medical educators and regulators have emphasized that this policy shift seeks to:
Advance scientific inquiry skills early in medical training.
Strengthen the overall research culture within medical colleges.
Promote innovation and evidence-based medicine in clinical practice.
Align India’s medical training with international standards that value research competency.
Clinical research has historically been unevenly emphasized in Indian medical education, with many students engaging in research primarily for examination eligibility rather than as part of a sustained academic and clinical skill set. Embedding research into mainstream clinical training is expected to address this gap.
The National Medical Commission’s approval to integrate clinical research into both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education represents a significant regulatory shift in India’s medical training ecosystem. By making research training a core component of curriculum, assessment, and clinical practice preparation, the NMC aims to strengthen the scientific foundation of future physicians and better align medical education with evidence-based healthcare standards.
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