Hospitals with 220+ beds may be designated as teaching institutions

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“Besides, existing specialists with 10 years of experience can be appointed as Associate Professors, and those with 2 years can be appointed as Assistant Professors without the mandatory Senior Residency, provided they complete the Basic Course in Biomedical Research (BCBR) within two years,” said the NMC.

The 2022 regulations allowed non-teaching doctors to become assistant professors after two years in 330-bed non-teaching hospitals that were being converted into medical colleges.

"A non-teaching consultant or specialist or medical officer, possessing PG medical degree with at least two years of experience in a government hospital with at least 220 beds shall be eligible to become an assistant professor of that broad specialty without the requirement of experience as senior resident and shall complete the basic course in biomedical research within two years of appointment," as per the recently notified Medical Institutions Regulations-2025.

These regulations aim to widen the pool of eligible faculty and facilitate the expansion of undergraduate and postgraduate seats in medical colleges across India.

According to these regulations, PG courses can now be started with two faculty members and two seats, relaxing the earlier requirement of three faculty and a senior resident. Bed requirements per unit have also been rationalised for several specialties.

Diploma holders working as specialist or medical officer in the respective departments of a Government medical institution or Government medical institution running National Board of Examination and Medical Science recognized teaching programme having cumulative experience of six years, shall be eligible for the post of Assistant Professor.

New government medical colleges are now permitted to start UG and PG courses simultaneously, expediting the production of healthcare professionals and teaching faculty, the regulations said.

The upper age limit for appointment as senior resident has been increased to 50 years in pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, forensic medicine.

Experience gained as tutors or demonstrators by candidates with postgraduate qualifications shall be considered valid for the purpose of eligibility as assistant professor, the new regulations stated.