The National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER-2023) with immediate effect, removing the regulation-specific financial penalties that could reach ₹1 crore for medical colleges and ₹5 lakh for faculty members or administrators making false declarations, according to recent media reports.

The regulations, originally notified in September 2023, established a framework for addressing non-compliance with medical education standards. Their withdrawal follows an NMC notification dated October 14, 2026, issued under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.

The move removes the specific penalty framework under the withdrawn regulations, which covered violations of prescribed standards and related irregularities. The change has raised questions about how compliance with medical education norms will be enforced going forward, particularly in cases involving false records, faculty-related irregularities and deficiencies in institutional standards.

However, the withdrawal does not remove the requirement for medical institutions to submit their Annual Disclosure Report (ADR). The NMC has clarified that this obligation will continue under Sections 24(i) and 25(h) of the NMC Act, 2019, and applicable regulations.

The notification also contains transitional provisions. Actions already taken, approvals and renewals granted, and orders or decisions issued under the 2023 regulations are not automatically invalidated. Certain applications, appeals, inquiries and other proceedings pending before the withdrawal will continue to be dealt with under the notification’s applicable provisions. Matters arising after the de-notification will be governed by the NMC Act and the statutory and regulatory provisions then in force.

The immediate policy question is how the regulator will maintain accountability and quality assurance across India’s medical colleges under the remaining legal framework. The NMC’s notification confirms the withdrawal and continuation of annual disclosure requirements; the sources reviewed do not establish a replacement penalty framework.