New Delhi: Medical students may soon get an extra year to complete their MBBS course, with the National Medical Commission (NMC) proposing to increase the maximum period for completing undergraduate medical education from nine years to ten years.In the draft amendment to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023, the NMC has proposed that no student will be allowed to continue graduate medical courses for more than ten years after joining the MBBS programme, including compulsory rotatory medical internship. The current regulation limits the period to nine years from the date of entry.The proposal leaves unchanged another key provision of the rules that bars students from taking more than four attempts to clear the first professional MBBS examination (examination held at the end of the first academic year).This amendment is expected to benefit students whose education has been delayed due to academic setbacks, health issues, family circumstances or other unexpected reasons.The draft notification published in the Gazette of India has been placed in the public domain for comments and suggestions. NMC has invited feedback from medical colleges, students, faculty members and other stakeholders. It said that the objections and suggestions received within 30 days will be considered before finalizing the amendment.The change comes nearly three years after the introduction of the Competency-Based Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, which fixed the duration of undergraduate medical education at nine years.Medical education experts say the proposal reflects a recognition that a small section of students may need additional time to complete training due to interruptions during the curriculum. He said the amendment provides more flexibility, but it does not weaken the academic standards as the four-attempt limit in the first professional MBBS exam remains intact.