NMC Shockwaves: 34 Tamil Nadu GMCs slapped Show-Cause Notices on deficiencies
National Medical Commission (NMC)
Chennai: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has slapped show cause notices on 34 Government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu for deficiencies in faculty and services, including labs and surgeries. The action has reportedly been taken against all the government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, except Madras Medical College and Govt Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.
According to The Times of India, among the 36 Government medical colleges (GMCs) in the State, altogether 34 colleges have a shortage of staff in up to 95% of the departments, including the departments of general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, and dermatology. This was the most common deficiency that NMC highlighted in the show-cause notices issued to these medical colleges.
The showcase notices were issued based on the reports from the experts nominated. Issuing the notification on May 7, the Director of the Undergraduate Medical Education Board, Sukh Lal Meena, sought a written clarification from the colleges within a week.
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, altogether 19 out of 20 departments in Govt Chengalpet Medical College were found deficient in faculty/resident/tutor as per the AEBAS record data in departments from anatomy to radiodiagnosis.
In the case of Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, there was a deficiency in the faculty members in 8 out of 20 departments. While both Chengal GMC and GMC Kilpauk had inadequate data in pathology reports, the first didn't conduct any "emergency surgery" as per data uploaded on the NMC portal.
While the colleges have been given a week to respond to the show-cause notice, it mentioned, "In case the opportunity provided is not availed, it will be presumed the college doesn't have any clarification to furnish, and no further opportunity will be given, and a decision as deemed fit shall be taken by the UGMEB."
Under Chapter III-clause 8 of the Maintenance of Standard of Medical Education Regulations, 2023, the board is allowed to impose a penalty on colleges up to Rs 1 crore on medical institutes, the notice mentioned.
These regulations were notified on September 19, 2023, and as per the provisions under these regulations, the medical colleges must submit annual disclosure reports in the prescribed mode.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported Stating that no MBBS seats will be permitted if the medical college does not submit the Annual Declaration within a specific deadline, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission directed the medical colleges to submit the details along with requisite fee including GST on NMC portal by 30 November 2024.
Consequently, NMC extended the deadline for submission several times and asked the colleges to comply with its directions. However, several colleges failed to comply with NMC's directions despite multiple notices and on 28.03.2025, the Commission asked the colleges to submit a penalty of Rs 50,000 along with the ADR.
The colleges were asked on November 1, 2024 and April 25 to fill in the details/data on the NMC portal for annual declaration, including the total number of faculties, inpatient and outpatient details and the number of surgeries.
Meanwhile, commenting on the issue of 34 medical colleges being show-cause notices, the Director of Medical Education Dr. J Sangumani said that the vacancies in Assistant Professor, and Professor posts were being filled through counselling.
"Most will join in a couple of days. We are hoping to send a letter to NMC stating we have filled all vacancies," he said.
Doctors' bodies mentioned that it would be impossible to fill up the vacancies which resulted in the last three years due to a lack of timely counselling and promotions.
Back in the year 2024, the government doctors' association in Tamil Nadu had mentioned that there were at least 30% vacancies in doctors' positions across the government hospitals in Tamil Nadu.
Commenting on the NMC show-cause, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association said on Monday that the counselling for 2023 batch was just over. "We still have counselling for two more years. Vacancies will exist until counselling is over. Also, govt has failed to increase staff strength as per the requirement of NMC," said the State organising secretary Dr. A Ramalingam.
