Who's eligible for faculty appointment? NMC clarifies
National Medical Commission
New Delhi: Releasing the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the rules concerning the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has provided clarity regarding the appointment of faculty, including Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, in the medical colleges.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that earlier this year, on June 30, 2025, NMC released the final Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, and laid down the eligibility qualifications of medical teachers at medical institutes.
Releasing these regulations, the Apex Medical Commission had notified the rules regarding the qualifications required for medical and non-medical faculties in medical colleges across the country, falling under the purview of NMC. However, since the stakeholders sought clarifications regarding certain provisions of the regulations, the Commission has recently released the FAQs.
Among the several issues addressed in the FAQs, NMC has also clarified the eligibility conditions for appointment of Professors, Associate and Assistant Professors.
Also Read: NMC releases Medical Faculty regulations- 6 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Eligibility to become Professors:
Addressing the issue of eligibility to become a Professor of an NMC-recognised medical college/institute, Note 2 of Sl. No. 1 of Table E of 2025 regulations mentioned,
"A Senior Consultant, having three years of' experience as post graduate teacher of broad specialty or super specialty subject in the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences recognised Government medical institute shall be eligible to become Professor in a recognised medical institution of the concerned specialty and total number of years of experience as Post Graduate teacher in National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences recognised government medical institute shall be considered as experience as Professor in a recognised medical institution."
Giving clarity in this regard in the FAQs, NMC said
1. One having teaching experience as Senior Consultant will be eligible to be Professor of the same broad specialty in an NMC-recognised medical college/teaching medical institute if he possesses such PG teaching experience for three years after becoming eligible to become Senior Consultant and PG teacher
2. One having teaching experience as Senior Consultant will be eligible to be Professor of the same Super Specialty in an NMC-recognised medical college/institute if he possesses such PG teaching experience for three years after becoming eligible to become senior consultant and PG teacher
Eligibility to become Associate Professors:
Regarding the appointment of Associate Professors, NMC in Note 2 of Sl. No. 2 of Table E of 2025 Regulations mentioned, "A non-teaching Consultant or Specialist or Medical Officer, possessing postgraduate medical degree with ten years of experience in at least 220 bedded Government hospital shall be eligible to become Associate Professor of that broad specialty and on such appointment, shall be required to undergo Basic Course in Medical Education and Basic Course in Biomedical Research within two years of the appointment."
Answering who will be considered as an Associate Professor, as per this, the NMC mentioned in the FAQs, "Any Registered Medical Practitioner (Non-teaching Consultant, Specialist, Medical Officer, Senior Resident, etc.) possessing a NMC/MCI-recognised postgraduate degree qualification and having cumulative work experience of 10 years in any government hospital of 220 beds after obtaining postgraduate degree will be eligible to become Associate Professor of the specialty in which he is having the recognised postgraduate qualification in any medical college/institute. However he/she will have to undergo basic course in medical education and basic course in biomedical research within two years of the appointment."
Eligibility to become Assistant Professors:
The 2025 Medical Faculty Regulations addressed the issue of appointment as Assistant Professors in Note 3(c) of Sl. No. 3 of Table E. It mentioned, "a non-teaching Consultant or Specialist or Medical Officer, possessing postgraduate medical degree with at least two years of experience in a Government hospital having at least 220 beds shall be eligible to become an Assistant Professor of that broad specialty without the requirement of experience as Senior Resident and shall complete the Basic Course in Biomedical Research within two years of appointment."
Providing the stakeholders with further clarity in this regard, the Commission mentioned, "Any Registered Medical Practitioner ( Non-teaching Consultant, Specialist, Medical Officer, Senior Resident etc.) possessing a NMC/MCI-recognised postgraduate degree qualification and having cumulative work experience of 2 years in any government hospital of 220 beds AFTER OBTAINING POSTGRADUATE DEGREE, will be eligible to become Assistant Professor of the specialty in which they hold the recognised postgraduate qualification without the requirement of one year experience as senior resident in a medical college."
Also Read: NMC clarifies on Medical Faculty Regulations 2025
