SVIMS Tirupati faces backlash over eligibility denial for MSc Medical postgraduates in faculty recruitment

Tirupati: Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), Tirupati, is facing backlash from its alumni after it denied eligibility for the MSc medical postgraduates in the institute's direct faculty recruitment.

In the notification dated August 14, 2025, the institute omitted MSc medical postgraduates from the list of qualified candidates.

The Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations allow medical MSc and PhD degree holders to be appointed as faculty in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology departments.

Since 2003, SVIMS has conducted MSc medical postgraduate programmes in non-clinical medical specialities, including these courses.

The college had introduced these courses to address the shortage of qualified teachers in medical colleges, following similar courses earlier run by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS), Vijayawada, between 2002 and 2015.

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As per the latest media report by Edex Live, between 2003 and 2019, the college produced around 150 MSc medical postgraduates. Many of these postgraduates are currently employed as teachers in private institutes across India. Some of them work on ad hoc appointment basis within SVIMS itself.

The recent decision of the medical college to omit the MSc medical postgraduates from the list of qualified candidates in the faculty recruitment has been criticised by the National M.Sc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA).

Speaking to Medical Dialogues in this regard, the Secretary of the association, Dr. Ayan Das, expressed concern over the reported denial of eligibility to MSc medical postgraduates in the direct faculty recruitment at SVIMS Tirupati.

"MSc postgraduates in medical subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, and Microbiology have long contributed significantly to medical education and research across the country. As per the current regulations laid down by the National Medical Commission (NMC), particularly under the TEQ 2025, the minimum permissible percentage for medical MSc/ PhD teachers have been reinstated to 30%, including to the posts of tutor, assistant professor, and beyond," he said.

"The reported move by SVIMS to exclude MSc medical postgraduates from consideration for faculty positions undermines the contribution and career prospects of thousands of competent teachers. Such exclusion contradicts both the NMC norms and spirit of equality. We urge SVIMS to review its recruitment policies to align with national norms and ensure a fair and inclusive selection process. Denying opportunity to eligible candidates not only restricts academic diversity but also deprives students of experienced teachers who play a vital role in foundational medical sciences," Dr. Das added.

"The NMMTA strongly advocates for equal opportunity for all qualified professionals in the medical academic domain. We remain committed to engaging with stakeholders, including institutions and regulatory bodies, to protect the interests and rights of MSc medical teachers across India," he further mentioned.

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