DM and MCh: The Super Speciality Route Explained

DM and MCh, the super speciality route

DM and MCh sit at the same level

DM is Doctorate of Medicine and MCh is Master of Chirurgie. Both are super speciality degrees. The split is medical against surgical, so MCh candidates sit a procedures exam.

DM has 34 branches and MCh has 16

The branch lists in the 2023 regulations run from DM Cardiology and DM Neurology through to MCh Neurosurgery and MCh Urology. Medical specialities sit under DM.

Super speciality courses run three years

The regulations set the duration at three years, including the period of examination. That is on top of the MD or MS you already hold before you start.

You need a feeder degree before you apply

The regulations call the broad speciality degree the feeder course. Each super speciality has its own feeder list, so your MD or MS decides what you can apply for.

NEET SS is the entrance for DM and MCh

The 2023 rules say eligibility comes from securing the minimum eligible score at the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Speciality. It is better known as NEET SS.

India has 4,711 super speciality seats

We counted the National Medical Commission seat matrix as on 29 September 2026 and found 2,549 DM seats and 2,162 MCh seats, which is 4,711 places in all.

Want the NEET SS picture in full

Our NEET SS guide covers the exam pattern, the qualifying percentile, the counselling rounds and how the feeder speciality rules decide what you can sit for.