MCI BOG amends TEQ rules to allow Visiting faculty teach MBBS, PG Medical courses, Details

New Delhi: Opening new avenues for doctors to enter the field of medical academia, the Board of Governors in Supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI BOG) have amended Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations 1998” (TEQ rules) to included clauses of visiting faculty.

The confirmation to this effect was recently made via a Gazette notification issued by the MCI BOG.

With this, Doctors can now join as Visiting Faculty and Teach MBBS, PG Medical courses at medical colleges across the country.

The proposal to this effect was recently approved by the council, as a way to strengthen teaching intensity and quality of the students by augmenting the regular strength of full-time teachers with part-time Visiting Faculty by qualified specialists working in private sector or those self-employed.

Read Also: Now Visiting Faculty to teach MBBS, PG Medical courses at Medical colleges: MCI BOG gives nod to proposal

What do the rules say?

The rules which come into effect from 16th December 2019,add a Clause 13 for visiting faculty in the existing rules/

Specifically in the Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998”, the following has been added as Clause 13 in Schedule I:-

13. Visiting Faculty

(i) Objective: With a view to enhance the comprehensiveness and quality of teaching of both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students in pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical departments, Medical Colleges/Medical Institutions can appoint additional Faculty Members on part-time basis who would be known as “Visiting Faculty”. To encourage and facilitate the inclusion of Indian Diaspora in medical education, Overseas Citizens of India can also be appointed as Visiting Faculty.

(ii) Visiting Faculty: Visiting Faculty, over and above the minimum faculty prescribed in the relevant “Minimum Standard Requirements for the Medical College for 50/100/150/200/250 MBBS Admissions Annually Regulations” and the “Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000”, may be appointed by the Medical College/Medical Institutions for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in pre-clinical, clinical and paraclinical department(s).

(iii) Qualifications and Experience: The Visiting Faculty should possess the postgraduate degree as prescribed in the respective Regulations referred to above for appointment in the concerned specialty and a minimum of eight years of work experience in the concerned specialty after obtaining the postgraduate degree. The maximum age limit up to which a person can be appointed as a Visiting Faculty shall be 70 years.

(iv) Permissible Limit of Visiting Faculty: The strength of Visiting Faculty in a Department for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching cannot be more than fifty per cent of the faculty strength prescribed for the concerned specialty in the relevant “Minimum Standard Requirements for the Medical College for 50/100/150/200/250 MBBS Admissions Annually Regulations” and the “Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000”.

(v) Selection:

The selection of Visiting Faculty members shall be made by a Committee comprising: Director/Principal/Dean of the Medical College/Medical Institution, who shall be the chair of the Committee; the Head of Department of the concerned specialty; the Head of Department from any other Specialty; and at least one expert on the subject from a Medical College/Medical Institution outside the city, preferably from an institute of national importance. Visiting Faculty could include such person(s) as those working in private health care, non-governmental organizations, retired personnel, etc. who are interested in teaching. Preference in appointment shall be given to those who have served as Faculty in Medical Colleges/Medical Institutions or in Medical Institutions affiliated with the National Board of Examination or in Foreign Medical Teaching Institutions.

(vi) Duration of appointment: Visiting Faculty shall be eligible for appointment for a period of one year at the first instance. The same can be extended by the Dean/Principal/Director of the Medical College/Medical Institution for another year. However, after the expiry of a two-year term, the existing Visiting Faculty may be considered for re-appointment for a subsequent term of two years through a fresh selection process outlined above. The same process will be repeated for further re-appointment(s) of incumbent Visiting Faculty after each term of two years. Student feedback will be taken into account in making a recommendation for extension / re-appointment of the Visiting Faculty. Medical College/Medical Institution may terminate the services of the Visiting Faculty in the event of unsatisfactory work and/or misconduct.

(vii) Scope of work and feedback: Visiting Faculty will be assigned teaching responsibilities by the Medical College/Medical Institution concerned. Each Visiting Faculty member should conduct at least four sessions in a month, such as theory, small group discussions, practicals, community-based sessions or clinical / bed-side teaching sessions, etc., with each session of not less than 3 hours’ duration. The Visiting Faculty shall not be involved in the routine administrative work of the Department and shall not replace the roles and responsibilities of the full-time faculty in the Department. Six monthly feedback on teaching by the Visiting Faculty will be obtained by the Medical College/Medical Institution.

(viii) Honorarium: The College may provide honorarium to the Visiting Faculty.

(ix) Others: The details of both Regular and Visiting Faculty shall be displayed on the website of Medical College/Medical Institution. Further, the Visiting Faculty shall not be counted for faculty requirement laid down in relevant “Minimum Standard Requirements for the Medical College for 50/100/150/200/250 MBBS Admissions Annually Regulations” or the “Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000” for the minimum faculty strength required in the concerned Department.