New NMC regulations jeopardise jobs of 5,000 non-medical teachers

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, November 14

Approximately 5,000 teachers specialising in non-medical subjects are uncertain about their future in medical education due to the new rules set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in August.

The restrictions announced by panel

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• The National Medical Commission has put restrictions on the number of non-medical teachers allowed in medical colleges
• These restrictions allow for only 15% non-medical faculty in subjects like anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, while excluding non-medical teachers entirely from pharmacology & microbiology

The NMC has put restrictions on the number of non-medical teachers allowed in medical colleges, leading to protests. These restrictions allow only for 15 per cent non-medical faculty in subjects like anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, while excluding non-medical teachers entirely from pharmacology and microbiology.

This departure from the more inclusive guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 1998, which allocated 35 to 50 percent staff requirement to non-medical subjects, has sent ripples through the teaching community.

The National MSc Medical Teachers Association (NMMTA) representative of MSc degree holders has emphasised the impact of recent regulatory changes by the NMC, casting a shadow over opportunities in non-clinical subjects.

Adding to the concerns is the NMC’s insistence on PhD qualifications for specific positions, a demand that overlooks recognized qualifications by the UGC.

Arjun Maitra, president, NMMTA said the financial burden of pursuing a PhD without adequate job prospects presents challenges for aspiring teachers.

Maitra said the situation demands a sense of urgency. The NMMTA has demanded the replacement of the current undergraduate board of the NMC, removal of discriminatory guidelines and representation of ‘non-medical’ teachers in the commission. The association has also called for the establishment of a new council, the ‘National Commission for Scientists in Medical Education and Healthcare’, aiming to oversee courses and register degree holders in the field.