The Role of NBEMS in Medical Education in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Converting Challenge into Opportunity for Innovation!

The National Board of Examinations was set up in the year 1975 as the examination wing under the National Academy of Medical Sciences, under the president ship of Dr S Padmavathi, the famous cardiologist. As the body was entrusted with the conduct of postgraduate examinations and its role became more defined, it was formally incorporated as a society and was registered on the 1st of March 1982, as an independent organization working as an “autonomous body” under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Since then, the National Board of Examinations has been conducting post graduate level examinations in broad specialties and post-doctoral level examinations in the super specialities. Initially, the Diplomate of the National Board (DNB) examinations was an extra examination being taken by candidates who were qualified with MD/MS or DM/MCh to get an extra degree of DNB in that particular speciality. In the 1980s, National Board of Examinations started recognizing training for candidates in broad speciality and super specialty in hospitals, outside the National Medical Commission (erstwhile Medical Council of India), that is outside the university hospitals, such as the non-medical college government institutions, public sector undertaking hospitals and private hospitals. Soon this role expanded in a very big way and 3-year teaching programme was extensively started in the whole country in these hospitals. Candidates were selected by a separate entrance examination conducted by NBE. They were trained in the speciality in which they were admitted, and they would pass the exit examination, and they be awarded the DNB qualification. This exit examination became the benchmark of quality and high standards in the country as the panel of examiners was drawn from the best of experts from the entire country and the candidates and the examiners had no previous interaction leading to unbiased assessment. The Government of India by notification in the Gazette dated 3.10.1994 has equated the DNB qualifications with the MD/MS qualifications for broad specialties and DM/MCh qualifications for super specialities. With this, the training and qualification become at par with those trained from the university/medical college under the NMC (erstwhile MCI). Currently, there is complete equivalence for those trained in NBE accredited institutions greater than 500 beds. However, those from less than 500 bedded hospitals are required to do an extra year of senior residency in a medical college to be considered as recognized qualification for the purpose of teaching only. …