First time: NMC slaps fine on 3 TN medical colleges for Faculty, Clinical Material Deficiencies

Chennai: For the first time, taking note of deficiencies in faculty and clinical material, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has imposed fines on medical colleges for violating the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (MSMER) rules.

According to a recent report by TOI, the NMC has slapped a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh on government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, including the colleges in Dharmapuri, Ramanathapuram, and Nagapattinam. Apart from these colleges, the Commission has also issued show-cause notices to many other colleges for deficiencies in Aadhaar-based biometric attendance. The list also includes the Government Medical College in Madurai.

The officials at the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the Commission informed TOI that NMC has sent notices to several colleges across the country. Reportedly, the board issued at least two show-cause notices.

Also Read: Poor Biometric Attendance of Faculties: NMC Issues Show-Cause Notice to MGM Medical College Jamshedpur

Commenting on the matter, the President of NMC UG Board Dr. Aruna Vanikar told the Times of India, "Earlier, head counts of faculty used to be taken once a year. Now, we do it almost every day."

Dr. Vanikar also informed that if the medical colleges fail to give satisfactory explanations, officials would call the administrators of the medical colleges for a hearing before asking them to pay a fine.

"We have spoken to administrators of more than 250 medical colleges about the lack of faculty and clinical material. Fines were imposed only when we found nothing else was working," she further mentioned.

Meanwhile, confirming that the medical colleges in Tamil Nadu had received the notices, the Director of Medical Education Dr. J Sangumani said, "We receive notices if the attendance is below 75%, but we have already told the board that they have not taken into consideration some legitimate reasons for the absence of faculty on campus."

Some of the teachers could have failed to sign the biometric attendance as they were on NMC inspection duties. Similarly, faculties who are on 24-hour duties and those availing medical or maternity leave also would not sign the attendance. Referring to these instances, Dr. Sangumani said, "These cannot be considered deficiencies".

TOI adds that after receiving the notices, these medical colleges will now appeal to the National Medical Commission. Previously, the State Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi had written to the Commission and met with the Union Health Ministry officials to ask for an SOP for biometric attendance.

Apart from the State Health Secretary, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association also wrote to the Commission in this regard. A senior official informed the Daily, "We were told NMC will take all these into consideration, but nothing has happened."

What do the NMC rules say?

Notably, NMC has persistently urged medical colleges to adopt the Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system (AEBAS). This move is aimed at ensuring transparency and authenticity in faculty attendance.

Indian Medical Colleges have been reeling under a shortage of adequate faculty for a long time. Last year, in an assessment conducted for the academic year 2022-2023, NMC had unveiled a disconcerting reality within a majority of medical colleges. Those institutes were riddled with ghost faculties and senior residents, coupled with none meeting the mandated 50% attendance requirement.

Last year, 349 out of the total 654 medical colleges across the country got a show cause notice from the Apex Medical regulator for violations of the Minimum Standard Requirements 2020 including a deficiency in having the required faculty numbers.

Also Read: Implementing AEBAS: Doctors will have to punch only once every 24 hrs while entering or leaving the hospital, says NMC