New Delhi :
In a significant shift in medical education assessment, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has removed the faculty ratio criterion—the proportion of Professors and Associate Professors to the total faculty strength—from its new draft framework for accreditation and ranking of medical colleges.
Previously, the faculty ratio was a key parameter under the 2023 draft framework prepared in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI). It assessed compliance with Minimum Standard Requirements (MSR) for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, emphasizing the presence of senior faculty.
However, in the revised draft released by MARB, the total number of assessment parameters has been reduced from 92 to 78, with a redistribution of qualitative and quantitative metrics—now 26 qualitative and 52 quantitative, compared to the previous 20 and 72.
Key Criteria in the Revised Framework
The new framework includes 11 broad criteria for evaluation:
- Curriculum Implementation and Capacity Building
- Clinical Exposure and Internship Facilities
- Teaching-Learning Environment (Physical, Psychological, Occupational)
- Student Competence and Progression
- Human Resources and Teaching-Learning Process
- Assessment Policies
- Research Output and Impact
- Financial Resources
- Community Outreach
- Internal Quality Assessment Systems
- Stakeholder Feedback and Perception
Other Dropped Criteria
Besides the faculty ratio, the NMC has also removed:
- The requirement for stipend payments to interns and residents
- The emphasis on research publications in High Quartile journals
The revised framework is currently in the draft stage, and feedback from stakeholders is expected before final implementation.
This overhaul marks a shift toward qualitative assessment, moving away from rigid numerical thresholds, and reflects the NMC’s attempt to balance infrastructure, academic delivery, and student outcomes in medical education.
