NMC restores percentage of non-medical teachers as per old MCI norms

Mumbai, April 1, 2022:

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has restored previous Medical Council of India’s norms regarding the percentage of the 'non-medical' teachers in medical colleges following the Union health and family welfare ministry’s order. This has brought cheers to non-medical teachers with medical MSc/PhD qualifications.

Hailing the NMC’s decision, Dr. Sridhar Rao, president of the National MSc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA) said “With this, injustice that was done to us has been reversed. This has given a sigh of relief to faculties and students who are undertaking Medical M.Sc courses.”

As per the MCI's Teachers Eligibility and Qualifications guidelines, 'non-medical' teachers possessing medical M.Sc./Ph.D. qualifications could be appointed to the extent of 30 per cent (50 per cent in Biochemistry) of the faculty positions in the five non-clinical departments of medical colleges.

The extent of appointment of non-medical teachers as faculty in pre and para clinical streams was modified in the Minimum Requirements for Annual MBBS Admission Regulations 2020 (MSR 2020) issued by NMC on October 28, 2020.

As per MSR 2020, the permissible percentage of 'non-medical' teachers were reduced from 50 per cent to 15 per cent in biochemistry, from 30 per cent to 15 per cent in anatomy and physiology and completely abolished in pharmacology and microbiology.
Availability of sufficient medical teachers and the introduction of the new competency-based curriculum were the reasons attributed to this reduction.

Aggrieved by the decision, NMMTA had filed an appeal on February 28, 2021 with the NMC under the provisions of the NMC Act, which was dismissed. Consequently, the association filed a second appeal on September 7, 2021 with the central government requesting to restore the previous MCI norms as far as 'non-medical' teachers are concerned.

The ministry of health and family welfare, which examined the appeal filed by NMMTA released a government order on March 1, 2022 stating that the documents and submission made by the appellant have been considered by central government and is of a considered view that the NMC may continue to adopt the old pattern of the permissible percentage of non-medical teachers for the time being subject to the outcome of the pending court case.

Giving effect to the health ministry’s order, NMC on March 29, 2022 issued a notice restoring clause 2 of Schedule-I of MCI’s Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998. The clause 2 says “In the departments of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and microbiology, non-medical teachers may be appointed to the extent of 30 per cent of the total number of the posts in the department. A non-medical approved medical M.Sc. qualification shall be a sufficient qualification for appointment as lecturer in the subject concerned but for promotion to higher teaching post as candidate must possess the Ph.D. degree in the subject.”

However, NMC clarified that bio-chemistry would continue as per the Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998, subject to the outcome of pending court cases in the matter.

NMMTA had also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High court against the NMC guidelines.  Pharmabiz