Govt calls for amendment in NMC TEQ norms for non-medical teachers, NMMTA lauds move

New Delhi:  Following an appeal from the National M. Sc. Medical Teachers’ Association (NMMTA), the central government has issued direction to NMC to bring amendment in the Minimum Requirements for Annual MBBS Admissions Regulations, 2020, and Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022. 

The association has also expressed gratitude towards the government of India and Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mandaviya, and stated, "Now, we expect NMC to amend the TEQ with immediate effect. With this, many vacant posts would be filled & benefit medical education."

The eligibility for a non-medical faculty appointment in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology has not been specified in the Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022. Hence, no appointments can be made for the posts. Hence, NMMTA made an appeal to the government to look into the matter. 

The order also allowed the appointment of non-medical faculty having M.Sc qualifications, for the time being, in the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, and Microbiology to the extent of 30% of the total number of the posts in the Departments, as was prescribed under the MCI’s Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institution Regulations, 1998.

Dr Ayan Das, General Secretary, National M. Sc. Medical Teachers’ Association (NMMTA), Shahdara, Delhi filed a second appeal dated 25.03.2023 under Section 9(6) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 against the provisions of Clause 3.1, 3.3, 3.12, 5.1, 6 and 14 of the Teachers Eligibility Qualifications (TEQ) in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022 notified by the Post Graduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission.

In his appeal, Dr Ayan Das stated that the said TEQ Regulations 2022 do not provide for the appointment of non-medical faculty having M.Sc qualification in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology as was provided in the Medical Council of India (MCI)’s Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institution Regulations, 1998.

It has also been stated that in the Minimum Requirements for Annual MBBS Admissions Regulations, 2020 notified by the Under Graduate Medical Education Board, provisions have been made to limit the appointment of non-medical faculty having M.Sc qualification to the extent of 15% against the earlier prescribed limit of 30% of the total number of the posts in the Departments of Anatomy and Physiology and for the Department of Biochemistry, the same was brought down to 15% from earlier prescribed limit of 50%. Further, no provision was made to appoint such faculty in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology, which was earlier allowed to the extent of 30% under the MCI Regulations.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued directions to continue to adopt the old pattern of the permissible percentage of non-medical teachers in these Departments. Despite the same, the teachers’ eligibility qualifications for non-medical faculty in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology have not been specified in the Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022 notified on 14.02.2022 and therefore no appointment of such faculty can be made in these Departments. 

After receiving appealsfrom NMMTA, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has finally issued an order stating, "  In view of the above stated issues and given that the reasons considered by the Central Government while passing earlier order dated 03.01.2022 continue to exist the following directions are issued to NMC in the present appeal subject to outcome of pending court cases in the matter: Appointment of non-medical faculty having M.Sc qualification may be allowed, for the time being, in the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Microbiology to the extent of 30% of the total number of the posts in the Departments."

"Requisite Notification to bring amendment in the Minimum Requirements for Annual MBBS Admissions Regulations, 2020 and Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022 may be issued by the respective Autonomous Board of the NMC and compliance thereof may be submitted to the Ministry within one month of issuance of this Order," it further added.

Back in 2020, after NMC took over MCI, it had released a draft regarding Minimum Requirements for Annual MBBS admissions Regulations, 2020. The draft which was released initially for public feedback was along the lines of MCI norms. However, the finalized notification released through a gazetted notification on October 2020 halved the permissible percentage to 15% in Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry and completely removed for Pharmocology and Microbiology disciplines, which affected the Medical M.Sc/Ph.d community.  

However, the amendments brought by NMC were heavily criticized by non-medical teachers and students pursuing MSc courses. Demanding immediate rollback of the guidelines, teachers and students had converged at Jantar Mantar under the banner of the National M.Sc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA) as a part of the nation-wide protest against the sudden reduction in the percentage of non-MBBS teachers.