Who's Exempt from Basic Course in Medical Education? NMC notifies new rules for medical faculty
New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has offered an exemption from undergoing the mandatory Basic Course in Medical Education (BCME) to the faculty serving in super-speciality departments or in broad speciality subjects not included in the undergraduate curriculum, and the faculty serving in Institutes of National Importance (INIs).
Releasing the final Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, in the official Gazette dated June 30, 2025, NMC laid down the eligibility qualifications of medical teachers at medical institutes.
In these regulations, the NMC announced an exemption from the Basic Course in Medical Education to select faculty. As per these regulations, the following faculty shall be exempt from the requirement to undergo the Basic Course in Medical Education-
(a) any faculty serving in super-speciality departments or in broad speciality subjects not included in the undergraduate curriculum; and
(b) any faculty serving in an institute of national importance, provided that such faculty shall be required to complete the course within two years of appointment in a recognised medical institution.
NMC has specified this in the newly released regulations after providing a similar clarification while considering the case of a doctor who had challenged the recruitment process at Dr. RMLIMS.
Also Read: BCMET Course not Mandatory for INI Faculties: NMC
Back then, NMC had clarified that completing 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).
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the concerned doctor was a faculty member from AIIMS Gorakhpur and 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.
Challenging the eligibility criteria for 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. While the HC had not granted any relief to him, noting that the last date for application had already expired, it had granted liberty to the doctor to make a representation before the NMC.
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 doctor.
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 had 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)"
Earlier, addressing the issue of BCMET, NMC on 01.04.2025 had 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.
However, the PGMEB of NMC had also informed that where faculty posts have already been sanctioned and the appointments have been made at the last moment, an Affidavit must be obtained from the Principal Secretary of Medical Education and Government of the respective State/UT, confirming that the appointed faculty would complete the BCMET training within the next academic year.
Also Read: NMC eases BCMET rule: Faculty Promotions to proceed from due date Despite training delays
