NMC Directs Medical Colleges to Grant Leaves to Assessors for inspection After Receiving Complaints from Faculties

Ahmedabad: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently directed medical colleges to grant leaves to medical college assessors after receiving complaints from faculties.

Sources told TOI that the Apex Medical Commission issued the order after teachers complained of being denied leave by their respective colleges when they were assigned the inspection duty by the Commission.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that through a recent notice, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of NMC informed about its decision to engage faculty members of medical colleges as assessors for conducting the inspection process for the academic year 2024-2025.

Further referring to its decision to conduct surprise inspections of various medical colleges, the Apex Medical Commission has informed that in order to maintain the element of surprise, the Assessors will be informed about the travel details 48 hours prior to the inspection date. Therefore, the Assessors might be required to travel within 24 hours of the notification, the Commission has warned.

Also Read: For surprise inspection, Assessors to be informed just 48 hours before assessment date: NMC

Due to the last-minute appointments made by the Commission, the faculties require leave from the medical colleges. As per the latest media report by the Times of India, many of the faculties are denied leave of absence by the college management to perform their inspection duty. The teachers from the medical institutes complained about the same.

In order to avoid the last-minute hassle, NMC recently issued a circular and directed the colleges to cooperate with the faculty members who are engaged in this activity by granting them leave for the days that they will be required to travel.

The MARB notice stated, "The inspection of medical colleges is a crucial activity for ensuring and enhancing the quality of medical education in India. Since, NMC would be conducting surprise inspections to various medical colleges the faculty members of your esteemed Medical College will be engaged in the inspection of other Medical Colleges. To maintain element of surprise, the Assessors will be informed about the travel details before 48 hours prior to the inspection date, for which Assessors might have to travel within 24 hours of the notification of same."

"It is requested to cooperate with the faculty members who are engaged in this activity by granting them leave for the days they are required to travel, to conduct smooth and hassle-free inspection process. This Commission appreciates the cooperation and contributions extended by medical fraternity towards improving the medical education system in India," it added.

Also Read: No inspection beyond Day 1, randomisation software to decide which assessor will inspect which medical college