Non-Medical Teachers Protest at Jantar Mantar against NMC policies

New Delhi: Alleging that the policies implemented by the National Medical Commission (NMC) are discriminatory in nature, the National M.Sc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA) arranged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday i.e. August 21, 2023.

Around 350 teachers from across the country gathered in the capital to protest against the "blatant discriminatory actions of the UG Board within the National Medical Commission (NMC)."

The association has alleged that instead of accommodating and involving medical MSc/Ph.D. educators, the Apex medical commission is "unfairly targeting" them.

Urging the Union Government to replace the "biased members of the UG board", the Association mentioned in a recent Tweet, "Approximately 350 teachers from across India gathered in New Delhi today to protest against the blatant discriminatory actions of the UG Board within the National Medical Commission (NMC). Instead of accommodating and involving medical MSc/PhD educators, as is the international standard, this regulatory body appears to be unfairly targeting them."

"Our confidence in this entity's ability to protect our standing in medical education has vanished. We urge the government to replace biased members of the UG board, as vindictive individuals have no place in policy formulation. While the Health Ministry stands in solidarity with us, the NMC holds a contrasting stance," the Tweet further added.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the non-medical teachers were protesting against the NMC decision of reducing the percentage of non-medical teachers in certain subjects and excluding them altogether as the examiners for the undergraduate medical examinations.

Their protest was a response to the Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) regulations 2023, which came into effect on August 1, 2023.

Excluding the non-medical teachers as examiners, NMC has mentioned in the new CBME Regulations, "Person appointed as an examiner in the particular subject must have at least four years of total teaching experience as Assistant Professor after obtaining postgraduate degree following MBBS, in the subject in a college affiliated to a recognized medical college (by UGMEB of NMC)."

"In department of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, non-medical teachers may be appointed to the extent of 15% of the total number of posts in the department subject to non-availability of medical teachers. The above mentioned non-medical teachers and the Statistician in the department of Community Medicine should possess qualification in that particular subject from a recognised University as per requirements in Teacher Eligibility Qualification Regulations," NMC stated in the new regulations.

Terming the NMC policies as discriminatory, the association in an earlier Tweet had mentioned, "Without a doubt, it's evident that the UG board of @NMC_IND holds biases and hostility towards non-MBBS teachers. Their every action seems directed at marginalizing and inconveniencing this group of educators. Under the guise of ensuring quality, they are engaged in endorsing and enforcing unjust discrimination (academic apartheid). It is inappropriate for any regulatory body to formulate and implement discriminatory guidelines targeting a specific group of its own teachers. We reemphasize our lack of confidence in the board's ability to treat us justly and impartially. Hence, we urge the government to take steps to replace it."

Gathering at Jantar Mantar on Monday, the non-medical teachers protested against the NMC policies. Referring to this, an user mentioned in a Tweet, "So, this is what it has come to. @NMC_IND forces qualified MSc PhD Med teachers to protest at Jantar Mantar in the hot humid Delhi Weather. We will sweat it out and fight for our rightful place in Med edn. Thank you members for the support."

Raising the matter, NMMTA mentioned in a Tweet, "Only doctors should teach medical students". Yes, the clinical subjects must be taught only by the doctors with MD/MS qualifications. But the same isn't necessary for non-clinical subjects, which are basic medical sciences. Medical teachers can certainly provide inputs based on own experience during their MBBS course. Our PG course is similar to the MD course, we both have been taught and trained similarly; how are we ineligible? We aren't asking to replace them."

"We aren't even asking for 30% reservation. We are asking to be taken upto 30% wherever medical teachers are unavailable. What's the problem with this? It is the superiority complex and refusal to coexist on equal standing with a non-MBBS colleague. This politics is mostly about pride & prejudice and monopoly in jobs. Unfortunately, NMC has taken a position opposing the government stand. We condemn the academic apartheid unleashed by the UG Board of NMC. It must be replaced. #NMCStopAcademicApartheid," it further added.

The association has now urged the Government to replace the members of NMC UG Board. In this regard, NMMTA mentioned in a Tweet, "Harassment, humiliation, and discrimination are the tools used by the UG board of @NMC_IND against a section of teachers engaged in medical education. Nowhere else in the world does a regulatory body engage in such actions. Teachers with medical http://M.Sc/Ph.D. qualifications are a solution to faculty shortages; excluding them is counterproductive. Regulatory decisions should not be driven by pride and prejudice. This UG board displays a particularly hostile attitude towards us. We earnestly request the government's intervention to protect us from the atrocities of this board by replacing it."

Also Read: Non-medical teachers oppose NMC CBME Regulations 2023, Plan Protest at Jantar Mantar