Secondary DNB Admission Row: FAIMA Seeks Relief For 20 Doctors After Seat Cancellations Over NOC; NBEMS Says Document Was Mandatory

Around 20 doctors from different states who joined Secondary DNB courses across various specialties in India are facing possible cancellation of their admissions over the non-submission of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) during the counselling registration process.

FAIMA, in a statement, alleged that the affected doctors had qualified the examination, secured Secondary DNB seats and completed admission-related formalities, but were subsequently issued cancellation notices because the concerned state Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) departments could not provide NOCs within the five-day registration window.

The doctors, according to FAIMA, had already relocated, paid substantial fees, cleared state bonds and started working at their respective hospitals.

FAIMA seeks withdrawal of cancellation notices

FAIMA described the situation as an administrative dispute between state and central authorities and questioned why doctors should bear the consequences of delays in obtaining state-level NOCs.

The association claimed that state health departments took several weeks to process the documents, leaving candidates unable to submit the NOCs within the stipulated period.

FAIMA has demanded:

• Immediate withdrawal of the cancellation notices issued by NBEMS.

• An additional window for submission of pending state NOCs.

• Intervention by the Union Health Ministry to address the issue and prevent specialist seats from going vacant.

The association also said the affected doctors are facing financial and personal difficulties after having already moved to their allotted institutions.

NBEMS says NOC requirement was clearly mentioned

In its fact-check, NBEMS said the requirement for an NOC was not introduced for the first time and was a continuation of the procedure followed in previous years.

The board said candidates had been clearly informed that the NOC was a mandatory document to be submitted during registration. According to NBEMS, candidates also furnished an undertaking confirming that they had read and understood the eligibility conditions.

The undertaking stated that if any declaration made by a candidate was subsequently found to be false or incorrect, the candidature could be cancelled.

NBEMS said that, accordingly, where candidates failed to submit the mandatory NOC, their allotted seats were cancelled in accordance with the applicable provisions.

Dispute centres on registration deadline & NOC submission

The issue therefore centres on the candidates' inability to submit the NOCs within the prescribed registration period and NBEMS' position that the document was a mandatory eligibility requirement communicated to applicants.

While FAIMA has called for an extension to allow the affected doctors to submit the pending documents, NBEMS has maintained that the cancellations were carried out under the applicable rules.

The dispute now involves calls for administrative intervention to determine whether the affected doctors can be given an opportunity to furnish the pending NOCs without losing their allotted Secondary DNB seats.

Published on: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 01:20 PM IST