Diplomate of National Board


Diplomate of National Board is the title awarded by the National Board of Examinations, an autonomous academic body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to candidates who successfully complete their postgraduate or postdoctoral medical education under it. People who completed an MD in their respective subjects are also eligible for appearing in the final DNB certification exam along with regular DNB trainees.
In 1975, the Government of India established the National Board of Examinations, an autonomous organisation Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with the prime objective of conducting postgraduate and postdoctoral courses of high and uniform national standard in various disciplines of modern medicine and allied sciences on an All-India single point entrance basis. The Board conducts its postgraduate and postdoctoral programmes in teaching hospitals accredited by it and in medical colleges accredited by the Medical Council of India.

Recognition of DNB qualifications

The degrees are recognised by the Government of India and a Gazette order is published for the same. Also, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification mentioning that DNB should always be considered equivalent to MD/MS.
The name of the degree awarded by the National Board of Examinations is called "Diplomate of National Board". The list of recognised qualifications awarded by the Board in various broad and super specialties as approved by the Government of India are included in the first schedule of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.
As a general rule, the failure rate for final year DNB exams are higher than their MD or MS counterparts.
The DNB qualifications awarded by the National Board of Examinations have been equated with postgraduate and postdoctoral qualifications awarded by other Indian universities for all purposes, including appointment to teaching posts.

List of broad specialties for DNB

Three-year postgraduate residency programme is available in the following broad specialties:
01. Anaesthesiology,
02. Anatomy,
03. Biochemistry,
04. Dermatology,
05. Emergency medicine,
06. Family Medicine,
07. Field Epidemiology
08. Forensic Medicine,
09. General Medicine,
10. General Surgery,
11. Health Administration,
12. Immunohematology & Transfusion Medicine,
13. Maternal and Child Health,
14. Microbiology,
15. Nuclear Medicine,
16. Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
17. Ophthalmology,
18. Orthopedic Surgery,
19. Otorhinolaryngology,
20. Paediatrics,
21. Pathology,
22. Pharmacology,
23. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
24. Physiology,
25. Psychiatry,
26. Radio Diagnosis,
27. Radio Therapy,
28. Respiratory Diseases,
29. Rural Surgery,
30. Social and Preventive Medicine.

List of super specialties for DNB

Three-year residency programme is available in the following super-specialties:
Medical super-specialties
Surgical super-specialties
The National Board of Examinations also runs postdoctoral fellowship programme in select subspecialties. On successful completion of two-year residency, candidates are awarded Fellow of National Board.
Fellowship programme is available in the following subspecialties:
01. Hand & Micro Surgery,
02. High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatology,
03. Infectious Diseases,
04. Interventional Cardiology,
05. Laboratory Medicine,
06. Liver Transplantation,
07. Minimal Access Surgery
08. Neurovascular intervention,
09. Paediatric Gastroenterology,
10. Paediatric Haemato Oncology,
11. Paediatric Intensive Care,
12. Paediatric Nephrology,
13. Paediatric Ophthalmology,
14. Reproductive Medicine,
15. Spine Surgery,
16. Sports Medicine,
17. Trauma Care,
18. Vitreo-Retinal Surgery.
Neurovascular intervention