NMC pulls up Medical Colleges on nursing staff requirements, directs strict adherence to Indian Nursing Council Norms

Issuing a notice to all medical colleges established with the approval of the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), now National Medical Commission, Samir Sinha, Deputy Secretary to the Government of India, has asked all medical colleges to adhere to the norms laid down for staff requirements as per earlier NMC notification and Indian Nursing Council (INC).

The notification, referring to the provisions contained in the Minimum Standard Requirements of NMC Act, 2019, mentioned:

"It has been brought to the notice of Medical Assessment and Rating Board of the National Medical Commission that some of the colleges are not adhering to the norms and conditions laid down for staff requirement as per NMC notification No. NMC/MCI 35(1)98-Med (ii) 123627 dated 28th October, 2020,

Schedule II- (B) Staff Requirements at Sub-para (7) Hospital Staff - all the hospitals shall have adequate staff of various cadres as required and conform to existing norms. The nursing staff shall conform to the norms as drawn by the Indian Nursing Council from time to time."

The objective of these Minimum Standard Requirements as per NMC regulations is to prescribe for a medical college and Medical Institution approved for admissions of MBBS students annually, the minimum requirements of accommodation in the college and its associated teaching hospitals, staff (teaching and technical) and equipment in the college departments and hospitals. Schedule B referred to in the notification deals with the staff requirements and their adequacy at the medical colleges and hospitals for proper functioning.

"All the Medical Colleges are hereby instructed to follow the above norms & guidelines of NCI for Nursing Staff," the NMC notification stated.

To view the official NMC notification, Click here

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that by introducing changes in the rules for establishing medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) released the Draft Establishment of Medical College Regulations, (Amendment), 2022 and invited comments.

The universities and deemed-to-be-universities will be benefitted by these amended rules which aim to change the previous norms as mentioned in the Establishment of Medical College Regulations, 1999.

As per the amended qualifying criteria for setting up medical colleges, now the Universities or deemed to be universities will not be required to fulfill the condition of "fully functional hospital for a minimum of 2 years".

However, such a relief has been given to them on the condition that the building of hospital and the medical college are owned and managed by the same organization, the proposed building of the medical college has not been used for any other purpose, at the time of application, the institute has an established multi-specialty hospital with at least 1000 in-patient beds.

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