The National Medical Commission (NMC) has revised the Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) Regulations for the year 2023, and the changes became effective yesterday, August 1. Other revisions aside, the regulation which allows only teachers with an MBBS degree to become examiners has become a bone of contention for non-MBBS degree holders who teach at medical colleges.

These candidates are those MSc and PhD-qualified professionals who are in charge of non-clinical subjects in medical colleges. The NMC regulations were published on August 1, and a protest against it is being planned by the National MSc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA) on August 21. Titled "Chalo Dilli-IV", the protest will be held at Jantar Mantar.

"Person appointed as an examiner in the particular subject must have at least four years of total teaching experience as Assistant Professor after obtaining postgraduate degree following MBBS, in the subject in a college affiliated to a recognized medical college (by UGMEB of NMC)," reads the official NMC regulation notice. 

NMMTA General Secretary Dr Ayan Das states that this goes against the basic idea of the teaching-learning process, as it is a known fact that faculty members are appointed as examiners.

"Being a body dominated by doctors, MCI always harboured prejudice against MSc/PhD teachers. As a continuation of MCI, NMC is taking this bias to the next level. We are fed up with incessant atrocities and discrimination against us. Enough is enough! We have no confidence in NMC. UG Board is the culprit-in-chief. We have to launch an agitation," reads a tweet from the association. MCI is the Medical Council of India. 

Dr Das explains that a considerable number of faculty members who do not have an MBBS degree have been working in medical colleges for the last 50 years and still not being able to qualify as an examiner was "patent discrimination". He adds, "As per the new regulations, even though we can become assistant professors, we cannot be examiners. This reduces us to second-grade faculty."

The MSc and PhD faculty members further allege that NMC has been trying to "throw them out" of medical colleges with its past regulations. The percentage of non-MBBS faculty intake was reduced from 50 per cent to 15 per cent previously and again increased slightly to 30 per cent in June this year.

According to Dr Das, about 200-300 persons will take part in the protest on August 21. NMMTA demands that NMC withdraw the August 1 regulation with immediate effect.