Medical MSc, PhD Holders can Teach in Medical Colleges as per NMC TEQ- Health Minister answers in Parliament
Non Medical Teachers
New Delhi: The matter of medical MSc and PhD holders being appointed to medical colleges was recently raised in parliament. In this regard, the Union Minister of State for Health, Smt. Anupriya Patel informed that under the Teachers Eligibility Qualifications Regulations, 2022, non-medical graduates having M.Sc. and PhD qualifications can be appointed as medical college faculties in the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry.
Such a clarification was issued by the Minister while responding to the queries raised in the Rajya Sabha by Parliament member Smt. Renuka Chowdhury. Smt. Chowdhury sought to know from the Health Ministry about the rationale behind the National Medical Commission's decision to allow non-medical graduates with M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees to teach medical students in anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology during a transitional period.
She also sought to know about the defined duration of the transitional period for allowing non-medical graduates to teach in medical colleges and asked whether the Government has responded to the concerns raised by medical professionals and associations regarding the Teachers Eligibility Qualifications (TEQs) draft guidelines allowing non-medical faculty in medical colleges. Clarifications were also raised regarding the measures taken by the Government to address the shortage of qualified faculty in colleges without compromising the quality of medical education.
These questions were raised in respect to the Draft TEQ 2024 regulations. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in releasing the Draft TEQ 2024 Regulations, NMC specified that the non-medical teachers could work as senior residents and faculties in medical colleges to teach three subjects, including Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology. However, it also specified that to teach these subjects in medical colleges, it is mandatory for the non-medical colleges to have an MSc and PhD degrees in these specialities.
Also Read: NMC proposes changes in TEQ regulations- here's how doctors, non-medical teachers react
Further, NMC also clarified in the Draft TEQ 2024 that the teachers with Medical MSc Degrees would be eligible for appointment as Senior Residents and Faculties (Assistant Professor and beyond) to teach these Broad specialty subjects during the "transitional period".
Defining the "transition period", NMC mentioned in the Draft that in a speciality (subject) if enough faculty having qualifications of that speciality are not available, one with related qualifications and training/experience is made eligible to become faculty of that speciality for limited period till adequate number of faculty with qualification of such speciality are available. NMC has specified that this limited period is called a "transition period" and conditions required to be fulfilled for his will be called transition period criteria.
The Commission has also mentioned that NMC would decide the duration of the transition period based on the recommendations by the Post Graduate Medical Educational Board (PGMEB).
However, there was confusion regarding the transition period, its duration and many other aspects and both doctors and Medical MSc and PhD degree holders have been raising questions regarding the same.
Amid this, the issue was also raised in the Parliament and in response to such queries raised in this regard, MoS Health Smt. Patel informed the Rajya Sabha recently, "As per Teachers Eligibility Qualifications Regulations, 2022, non-medical graduates having M.Sc. (relevant to medical education) and PhD qualifications granted by the recognized Medical College/Institute as regular on campus course in the subject concerned, can be appointed as Assistant Professors in the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry."
"As per Teachers Eligibility Qualifications Regulations, 2022, non-medical graduates having M.Sc. (relevant to medical education) and PhD qualifications granted by the recognized Medical College/Institute as regular on campus course in the subject concerned, can be appointed as Assistant Professors in the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry," she further informed.
The Minister also informed that the Government has taken the following measures/steps to address the shortage of doctor/medical professional in the country:
i. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 131 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved medical colleges.
ii. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
iii. Under “Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks” of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which 71 projects are complete.
iv. Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved. Undergraduate courses have been started in 19 of these.
v. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty.
vi. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re-employment against posts of teachers/Dean/Principal/ Director in medical colleges upto 70 years.
Medical MSc Degree Holders' Concerns:
For a long time, Medical MSc Degree teachers have been protesting against the NMC rules and regulations, through which, the Commission reduced the total number of posts available in medical colleges for non-medical teachers. Further, the Commission released CBME 2023 guidelines and excluded them as MBBS examiners.
NMC's "Guidelines for Under Graduate Courses under Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023", were released in August last year. Releasing the concerned guidelines, NMC clarified that only 15% of the total number of posts in the Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry departments would be filled by Medical MSc Degree teachers.
Further, the Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) Regulations 2023, which came into effect on August 1, 2023, excluded the Medical MSc Degree teachers altogether as the examiners for the undergraduate medical examinations.
Raising these concerns, previously the National MSc Medical Teachers Association (NMMTA) had met the Union Health Minister J P Nadda and sought his intervention. The association claimed that the NMC regulations led to a significant shortage of staff in medical colleges and affected the quality of education and training provided to future healthcare professionals. Earlier, the association had also called for a co-existence with the medical teachers.
