NMC Releases Draft Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations 2023, Invites Comments

New Delhi: In order to ensure that high standards are being maintained in the medical education sector in India, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has released the draft of the NMC Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023.

The Director of UGMEB, Shambhu Sharan Kumar has introduced the draft in the public domain through a recent notice dated June 23, 2023. The Regulations mentioned that the "...National Medical Commission shall continuously work to maintain high quality and high standards in medical education and regulate medical institutions and medical professionals as per the mandate of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019."

"WHEREAS in the exercise of overall powers conferred by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and particularly by sections 10, 24, 25 and 57 of the said Act, National Medical Commission makes the following Regulations to ensure smooth compliance with its functions in general and particularly to maintain a high quality and high standards in medical education," the draft regulations further mentioned.

NMC UG Board has discussed about several issues in the new draft regulations including the mandate of annual disclosure, evaluation of the Annual Disclosure Report by NMC, details regarding joint or independent evaluation, renewal of certificate for the medical college after complying with the rules regarding the requirements, penalties for non-compliance, appeal by medical institute to NMC and/or Central Government.

Introducing the draft of the new regulations in the public domain, the Director of UGMEB mentioned, "Undergraduate Medical Education Board proposes to make the above mentioned regulations in exercise of powers conferred by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and particularly by sections 10, 24, 25 and 57 of the said Act. A draft regulation in this regard is being shared for public comments."

NMC also invited comments regarding the draft regulations from the stakeholders and asked to submit such comments within a time period of 30 days. "It is requested to share comments on the draft regulations at the following email id comments.ugregulatioiis@nnic.org.in in MS Word (.docx) format or machine readable PDF Format within 30 days of publication of this notice with a subject tagline "Comments on draft regulations regarding National Medical Commission (Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education) Regulations, 2023"," mentioned the NMC notice.

These regulations named the "National Medical Commission [Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education] Regulations, 2023 shall come into force, at once, on such a designated day by the National Medical Commission through Notification, NMC has mentioned.

Also Read: NMC releases final Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023, check out details

 The details of the Draft Regulations are as follows:

1) After its establishment, the medical college or medical institution is obligated to furnish an annual disclosure report to the corresponding Board, satisfying such conditions provided under the notified MSRs by UGMEB or PGMEB and regulations of NMC as the case may be.

2) Without prejudice to anything stated above, the concerned Board may seek such additional information with regard to the annual disclosure report, as and when deemed necessary for their assessment and otherwise from the concerned medical institution or concerned agencies having or exercising control over that medical college or medical institution.

3) It shall be the duty of the medical college or medical institution or the concerned agency or agencies exercising control over such medical college or medical institution to furnish the information (including additional information) by the concerned Board in the prescribed mode.

Evaluating the report:

1) Keeping in mind the overall objectives of the Act, the respective Board (PGMEB or UGMEB) may undertake the evaluation of the Annual Disclosure Report for verifying whether the medical college or medical institution fulfils the required conditions prescribed by way of MSRs or NMC Regulations as the case may be, which shall include

i. Verification of physical infrastructure,

ii. availability of required number of qualified faculty for actual teaching and research and to undertake necessary student learning activities on a regular and continued basis,

iii. availability of adequate clinical material in terms of number of patients of different specialties, variety of patients to fulfill all round training of students, number of variety of procedures, surgeries, laboratory investigations, radiological investigations and other relevant investigations,

iv. assessment of the teaching methodology adopted,

v. the methods and modes of assessment, grading of the students,

vi. review of feedback from students,

vii. 360-degree evaluation of teaching faculty and

viii. other parameters related to standards of medical education that may be added from time to time by the respective boards or NMC.

2) Without prejudice to (a) above or elsewhere in these Regulations, at its sole discretion, the respective Board may seek any additional information or clarification or additional documents etc., from the medical college or medical institution while considering the Annual Disclosure Report referred above.

3) The Medical College shall furnish such information or clarification or additional documents etc., sought under sub-section (b) at the earliest but not later than 30 days from the date of receipt of communication from the respective Board or such additional time to be provided by the respective Board on specific request from the applicant in that regard.

Provided, the medical college or medical institution shall adhere to the prescribed format or pro-forma, while furnishing of information or clarification or additional documents etc., as required by the concerned Board.

4) If the applicant fails to submit such information or clarify or provide additional documents etc., as mandated by the respective Board within such prescribed time including any additional time provided by the respective Board, shall be deemed as non compliance with the Regulations and shall attract penalty.

Joint or independent evaluation etc.: 

1) Notwithstanding anything stated elsewhere in these Regulations, any of the Board (other than corresponding Board) individually or collectively, may cause to evaluate the accuracy and/or truth and/or veracity of the averments made out in the Annual Disclosure Report from the medical college or medical institution.

2) When such evaluation as enumerated under sub-section (a) is undertaken, it shall be the duty of the concerned medical college or medical institution to provide all necessary support to the concerned Board or Boards as the case may be, in their course of evaluation, which shall also include disclosure of documents, providing additional evidence as the case may be, providing oral statements etc.

3) Without prejudice to anything stated above, the concerned Board or Boards conducting evaluation under this provision, shall mandatorily share such conduct of an evaluation immediately and outcome of such evaluation to other Boards and NMC at the earliest but not exceeding three days.

After such inspection under this Regulation, if the concerned Board or Boards contemplate any remedial measure or action etc., such measure or action shall be intimated to the medical college or medical institution, through the concerned Board (UGMEB or PGMEB). Provided it shall be the administrative responsibility of the concerned Board to oversee that such measure or action intimated are duly complied with by the medical college or medical institution.

Consequence of compliance:

1) If the medical college or medical institution is found out to be successfully meeting requirements as prescribed for the UGMEB or PGMEB as the case may be, the concerned Board shall provide a renewal certificate for continuation of the course/s and admission of students thereof for the next/ coming Academic Year.

2) Any deficiency noted will attract penalties with or without the decision above.

Penalties:

1) Where the respective Board has reason to believe that a medical institution has failed to comply with any statutory provision, regulations framed there under or has not complied with the Minimum Standards of Requirements as prescribed by the respective Boards, or has conducted themselves in any manner which is not in accordance with the goals of medical education and practice, the Board shall either penalize the medical college or medical institution and /or conduct further enquiry into such act and wherever needed provide an opportunity to rectify the same.

2) For purposes of penalties, the regulations (Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023) will be followed in addition to withholding processing of application for any new schemes for that academic year or for such number of years.

Provided that the medical institution, may be granted a reasonable opportunity to rectify the deficiencies and any further action shall be taken if it fails to meet the requisite norms.

Provided further that the NMC may also initiate criminal proceedings for furnishing false information, or fabrication of false documents as per the criminal law in force at that time.

Appeal to NMC:

1) A medical college or medical institution or any such aggrieved person may file an appeal before the Commission with an appropriate fee as specified against any order which shall comprise the following-

i) Disapproval of a scheme for establishment of a medical institution or

ii) Where no decision is taken within one month of submitting such scheme or

iii) Imposition of penalty

Provided, such an appeal is filed within fifteen days of passing such an order or lapse of time, as the case may be.

Appeal to the Central Government:

1) Where an applicant/ medical college or medical institution is aggrieved by the decision of the Commission or where the Commission fails to give its decision within forty-five days from the date of receipt of such an appeal, a second appeal may be filed before the Central Government within 30 days from the date of such order or lapse of time, as the case may be.

2) The decision of the Central Government in this regard shall be final.

To view the notice, click on the link below –

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/maintenance-of-standards-of-medical-education-regulations-2023-212556.pdf

Also Read: NMC Releases Final Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations 2023, Details