National Medical Commission regulations aim to ease faculty shortage, add medical seats

As part of the union government’s plan to add 75,000 new medical seats over the next five years, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced new rules aimed at expanding the pool of qualified faculty and facilitating the growth of undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate (MD/MS) seats in medical colleges across the country.

The new “Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025,” issued by the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) under the NMC, seek to ease previous restrictions on who can teach in medical colleges, especially in underserved regions.

Under the revised norms, non-teaching government hospitals with more than 220 beds can now be converted into teaching institutions.

Additionally, specialists with 10 years of experience can be appointed as associate professors, while those with at least two years of experience may be appointed as assistant professors without the requirement of senior residency, provided they complete the Basic Course in Biomedical Research within two years.

“These regulations mark a paradigm shift in how faculty eligibility is determined, shifting the focus from rigid service norms to competency, teaching experience, and academic merit,” the NMC said in a statement.

It added that the reforms are expected to accelerate medical education expansion across India.

The rules also broaden the scope for using M.Sc./Ph.D. faculty. While previously allowed only in Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, the regulations now extend eligibility to Microbiology and Pharmacology departments as well.

To address faculty shortages in basic sciences, the upper age limit for appointment as a senior resident has been raised to 50 years in preclinical and paraclinical subjects.

The guidelines also enable the use of existing faculty across super-specialty departments, increasing flexibility for institutions.

Senior consultants with three years of teaching experience in government medical institutions recognized by the National Board of Examinations and Medical Sciences (NBEMS) can now qualify for professor posts.

Diploma holders working as specialists or medical officers in NBEMS-recognized government institutions, with at least six years of cumulative experience, will be eligible for appointment as assistant professors.

The new regulations also allow internal cadre mobility. Faculty with super-specialty qualifications currently serving in broad specialty departments may now be officially designated as faculty in their corresponding super-specialty departments.

While the reforms are being welcomed by some groups, others have raised concerns about potential compromises in teaching quality.

“The NMC is reducing preconditions for being teachers with the aim of creating more colleges and students, but this measure is missing out on the fact that rigorous teaching standards must be maintained to ensure good patient care,” said a senior doctor at a Central government medical facility.

On the other hand, the National M.Sc. Medical Teachers’ Association (NMMTA) welcomed the move.

They highlighted that the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, issued on June 30, along with an amendment notification on July 2, restores the 30% permissible appointment limit for faculty with M.Sc./Ph.D. qualifications in non-clinical subjects.

“This correction brings a much-needed end to years of injustice that stemmed from the MSR-2020 guidelines, which had severely impacted the careers, livelihoods, and dignity of non-medical teachers while also aggravating faculty shortages in medical colleges across India,” the NMMTA said.