Amid widespread flooding across northern states and Union Territories, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed the deployment of postgraduate medical students to disaster-affected areas, integrating the exercise into their District Residency Program (DRP) training.

In a circular issued recently, the Commission underscored the urgent need for additional healthcare support in flood-ravaged districts. The deployment, it said, would not only reinforce relief measures on the ground but also expose young doctors to the realities of disaster response, public health management, and community-level care.

“The initiative will provide much-needed healthcare services at the field level while enabling postgraduate students to gain meaningful experience in disaster response and community service, thereby strengthening their overall training,” the NMC stated.

The DRP, a mandatory component of postgraduate medical education, is designed to give doctors firsthand experience of healthcare delivery at the grassroots. The NMC noted that integrating flood-relief postings into the program creates a “unique opportunity for both learning and service.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier appealed for additional medical personnel to be mobilized, with several postgraduate doctors already volunteering for relief duties. The Commission has now instructed nodal officers across states and UTs to assign DRP students to flood-hit areas as per local requirements.

This directive comes as incessant rains continue to disrupt life in large swathes of northern India, straining medical infrastructure and intensifying the demand for frontline healthcare professionals.