BCMET course: NMC gives 1 year relaxation for faculty promotion in medical colleges

Granting this breather, the NMC has permitted promotion to all faculties of PG (MD/MS) and Super Speciality (DM/MCh) Courses without the compulsory completion of the BCMET course. However, the NMC has imposed a rider on this allowance and has mandated that all such faculty availing of this relaxation will have to complete the said course within three years from the date of promotion. Besides, the faculty who have already been promoted earlier on such relaxation will also have to complete the course within three years from the date of promotion.

The notification to this effect issued under the authority of Dr Vijay Oza, President of the Post Graduate Medical Education Board at the NMC, clarifies the eligibility for the faculty promotion without completing the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET).

In February this year, comprehensively laying down the fundamentals for standardising recruitment of doctors for their entry into medical academia, the NMC released the "Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations 2022".

According to the rules, appointment and promotion of faculty in various teaching specialities imparting graduate and postgraduate medical education in medical institutions, falling within the purview of the National Medical Commission, has to be in accordance with the minimum qualifications and experience prescribed in these Regulations, so as to maintain a standard of teaching in medical institutions.

These TEQ rules specify the number of patterns starting with who can be classified as a medical teacher, while also specifying a number of courses that doctors will now have to clear to be eligible for various faculty posts. The guidelines include norms for appointing faculty in medical institutions, rules to determine the equivalent qualification of DNB with MD/MS and DM/MCh, eligibility required to be designated as a postgraduate guide, norms for appointing faculty and their promotions, for determining teaching designations for Consultants/ Specialists for constituting a medical college or commencing a postgraduate course, for determining the teaching designations for Consultants/Specialists in Medical Institutions of Defence Services, and rules for appointing visiting faculties.

Para 6 of the TEQ Regulations, 2022 stipulates norms for faculty appointment and promotions in various Broad Specialities (MD/MS) and Super Specialities (DM/MCh) in a permitted/recognized medical college/institution. It, inter alia, stipulates that for promotion to the post of Professor or Associate Professor, the faculty should have completed the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET) from institutions designated by the NMC.

In this connection, the NMC's Postgraduate Medical Education Board, PGMEB received several representations from medical colleges and institutions regarding the non-availability of slots for the BCMET from the designated institutions. As a result, many faculty are not getting promoted.

Therefore, after examining the issue, the board has decided to allow the faculty promotion without the mandatory completion of the BCMET course and directed that all such faculties availing the relaxation and those who have already been promoted earlier on such relaxation will have to complete the course within 3 years from the date of promotion.

The NMC notification stated:

To obviate the difficulties being faced by the faculty, it has been decided to give relaxation for completion of the BCMET for one year from the date of issue of this notice.

The faculty availing this relaxation will have to complete the said course within three years from the date of promotion.

The faculty which has already been promoted earlier on such relaxation will also have to complete the BCMET within three years from the date of promotion.

To view the NMC notification, click here