MCI TEQ: Medical Mscs can be appointed as, promoted to post of Assistant Professors without PhD: Health Minstry clarification

Published On 2019-06-16 09:57 GMT | Update On 2019-06-16 09:57 GMT

New Delhi: Writing to the Principal Secretaries, Health/Medical Equation of all the state, the Union Health Ministry recently issued a clarification on the MCIs Minimum Qualification for Teachers in Medical Education Regulations 1988 (MCI TEQ Rules) for the appointment of non- medical teachers in medical colleges.

Responding to the representation submitted by the National MSc Medical Teachers Association (NMMTA) regarding appointment of non-medical teachers in medical colleges, the Union Health Ministry clarified PhD degree is necessary for promotion from Post of Assistant Professor onwards, implying that Medical Msc are eligible to join as lecturers and promoted to the post of AP with PhD.

...it is informed that Clause 2 at Medical Council of India's Minimum Qualifications, for Teachers in Medical Education Regulations, 1998 provides that in the departments of Anatomy, Physiology Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Microbiology, non-medical teachers may be appointed to the extent of 30% of the total number of the posts in the department. Such candidates after appointment as Assistant Professor may be promoted to a higher teaching post, subject to the condition that they possess the PhD degree in the subject, In the Department of Biochemistry, non-medical teachers may be appointed to the extent of 50% of the total number of posts in the department.

Further, the said regulations also prescribe that in the paucity of teachers in non-clinical departments relaxation up to the head of the department may be given by the appointing authority to the non-medical persons if suitable medical teacher, in the particular non-clinical speciality is not available tor the said appointment. However, such relaxation will be made only with the prior approval of the MCI.

The Health Ministry while communicating the clarification to the various state secretaries also asked for their feedback in the matter

It is, therefore, requested to take note of the above for complying with the provisions of the said regulations of MCI. It is also requested that the matter may kindly be examined to furnish your views/comments in the matter to this ministry at the earliest.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues team, Dr. Sridhar Rao, President NMMTA stated “This communication is significant as some prejudiced elements had attempted misinformation propaganda regarding the eligibility and continuance of non-medical teachers in medical colleges”, said Dr. Sridhar.

"Several medical colleges and the Department of Medical Education (DME) of the state governments were denying appointment or promotion as Assistant Professor to the non-medical teachers who did not possess Ph.D”, he added

“In a written reply to the Lok Sabha in December 2018, MoHFW had stated the same, yet it was not being honored by some medical colleges and DMEs because of disparity between the qualifications mentioned in the schedule-I and Table-I of the TEQ guidelines”, said Mr. Arjun Maitra. “We had requested the ministry to put an end to this confusion by editing the Table-I of the TEQ guidelines via a gazette notification or letters to the concerned”, he added.

“All those have now been laid to rest”, he added while thanking the Health Ministry for being responsive to their demands. “In February 2019, the honorable High Court of Punjab and Haryana had ruled that the non-medical teachers who were Professors in the non-clinical departments of the medical colleges could be appointed as Head of the Departments. We have requested the health ministry and MCI to honor this judgment and amend the TEQ accordingly”, added Mr. Arjun.

Non-medical teachers are clinical scientists possessing medical M.Sc/Ph.D degree in the subjects of Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology and Microbiology. These 3-year courses are imparted to the science graduates mostly in the medical colleges based on similar curriculum and syllabus as MD courses, and the degrees are awarded under the faculty of medicine by the health universities. As per MCI’s TEQ, they can be appointed to an extent of 30 % (50% in Biochemistry) of the teaching faculty in these five non-clinical subjects. NMMTA claims that around 13% of the teaching faculties in the non-clinical subjects of the medical colleges across India are 'non-medical'.

“We have also requested the health ministry to create a council to regulate medical M.Sc courses and to register the persons with these degrees. This will enable us to render our services effectively in the diagnostic laboratories”, said Dr. Sridhar Rao.

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