Relief for medical educators as court flags disparity in state-wise working days, modifies attendance calculation
Background: NMC’s Amended Attendance Norms
The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently introduced an amendment under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMSR), mandating that faculty members in medical colleges maintain at least 75% attendance annually.
As per Clause XII of the amended Minimum Standard Requirements (MSR), the NMC fixed 300 working days per year for calculating attendance. This effectively required faculty to be present for at least 225 days annually.
Petition Filed Against Uniform 300-Day Rule
The amendment was challenged before the Madras High Court by two assistant professors and a senior resident from government medical colleges in Madurai and Sivaganga.
The petitioners argued that:
- The total number of working days varies across states.
- Earlier PGMSR (2024) did not prescribe a fixed number of annual working days.
- Imposing a uniform 300-day rule across India is arbitrary.
In Tamil Nadu, for instance, the annual working days are approximately 240 days, which would effectively push the attendance requirement to over 90%, far exceeding the stated 75%.
Court Observation: State Variations Cannot Be Ignored
The Madurai Bench, led by Justice Chandangoudar, acknowledged the inconsistency in working days across states.
The court observed that enforcing 75% attendance out of 300 days would unfairly burden faculty in states with fewer working days.
Interim Relief: Clause Stayed, New Benchmark Set
The High Court has stayed the implementation of the 300-day calculation rule under Clause XII.
However, the court clarified that:
- Faculty members must still maintain 75% attendance
- But this will now be calculated based on 238.5 working days instead of 300
This provides immediate relief to faculty, ensuring that statutory leaves like casual leave can still be availed without violating attendance norms.
Key Concern: Impact on Leave Entitlements
The petitioners also highlighted that the rigid attendance requirement would:
- Restrict government doctors from taking entitled leaves
- Lead to unrealistic attendance expectations
The court took note of these concerns while granting interim relief.
What’s Next?
The matter has been posted for further hearing on June 8, where the court will continue to examine the validity of the NMC’s amendment.
Why This Matters
This case has significant implications for medical faculty across India:
- It questions centralized policymaking in a system with state-level variations
- It balances regulatory standards with practical working conditions
- It may influence future reforms in medical education governance
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing legal and healthcare policy issue.
