BCMET Course not Mandatory for INI Faculties: NMC

New Delhi: Completion of the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET) is not a mandatory requirement for the faculty at the Institutes of National Importance (INIs), as the INIs do not fall under the purview of the National Medical Commission (NMC). The apex medical commission, NMC, provided this clarification while considering the plea by a faculty member from AIIMS Gorakhpur, who was declared ineligible to apply for the post of Professor at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences for not having the BCMET or Basic Course in Biomedical Research (BCBR) certificates.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that challenging the eligibility criteria for the faculty recruitment process at Dr. RMLIMS, especially, the requirement of BCMET certificate, the doctor had filed a plea before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.

The doctor had argued that the requirement of BCBR and BCMET courses is not mandatory in INIs like AIIMS and such a condition deprived meritorious candidates from the recruitment process.

Since the doctor had filed the plea after the last date for application had expired, the Court did not grant any relief to the doctor. However, it had granted liberty to the petitioner doctor to make a representation before the NMC, and it had also directed the NMC to decide on the appeal.

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Accordingly, the matter came for consideration before the NMC. The petitioner prayed for relaxation regarding the BCMET course, an appropriate direction relaxing the BCMET requirement for the petitioner in order to participate in the advertisement dated 22.02.2025 and apply for the post of professor at Dr. RMLIMS, and a direction relaxing the BCBR requirement for the petitioner to participate in the advertisement dated 22.02.2025.

NMC's appeal committee, comprising Chairman Dr B N Gangadhar, Dr. M K Ramesh, and Dr. Vijaya Laxmi Nag, took note of the submissions by the petitioner doctor, who completed DNB from Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi in 2015. Thereafter, he served as Senior Resident at RML Institute, Lucknow, for 3 years, was appointed as contractual Assistant Professor at Safdarjung Hospital in 2018, and consequently, he joined AIIMS Gorakhpur on 20.01.2020 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2024.

He also affirmed his willingness to submit an undertaking to complete the BCMET course within two years of joining the RML Institute, Lucknow, if appointed. He also informed the court that he has completed the BCBR course with a score of 86%, even though the certificate was not available as of the application deadline (30.03.2025).

NMC Committee also noted that Dr. RMLIMS, Lucknow, through an email dated 19.03.2025, had sought an exemption for such candidates working in INIs (who have not completed BCBR and/or BCMET certifications) and allow them to be considered for appointment as Associate Professors/Professors on the condition that, in case of selection, they would have to complete these certifications within six months for BCBR and one year for BCMET of joining.

While considering the matter, the Appeal Committee noted that Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022 specifies the norms for faculty appointment and promotion where the post of Associate Professor or Professor, he/she must have completed the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology, and Basic Course in Biomedical Research from institutes designated by NMC.

However, the Appeal Committee also noted that through letters dated 01.04.2025 and 20.03.2025, the Commission has already clarified that in respect of faculty appointment in GMCs, where posts have been sanctioned and appointments were made at the last moment, the PGMEB has decided that in such cases, the appointed faculty would complete the BCMET training within the next academic year. It had been specified that the training must be completed before the call for applications for Letter of Permission for the Academic Year 2026-2027, which is expected to be around October 2025.

Taking note of these aspects, the Committee noted that the petitioner doctor has not completed the BCMET course since he is a faculty member at AIIMS Gorakhpur, which is an Institute of National Importance (INI).

At this outset, the NMC committee clarified that

"The BCMET course is not available to faculty members of INIs, nor is it mandatory for them, as INIs do not fall under the purview of the National Medical Commission (NMC)."

Further, the Committee observed that the requirement for BCMET has already been relaxed in the public notices dated 20.03.2025 and 01.04.2025. Further, in accordance with TEQ 2022 regulations, possession of BCBR certificate remains a mandatory requirement prior to appointment to the posts of Associate Professor and Professor.

"The RML Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow may consider the application of Dr. *** as per above criteria," the NMC Committee decided.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently addressing the issue of BCMET, NMC on 01.04.2025 clarified that the medical college faculties must complete the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET) to be promoted to the posts of Associate Professors and Professors.