Super-speciality, non-UG curriculum faculty and INI professors spared from mandatory training—subject to conditions
New Delhi:
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has officially exempted certain categories of medical faculty from undergoing the mandatory Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET), as per the final Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025 notified in the official Gazette on June 30.
According to the new regulations, the exemption applies to:
- Faculty members serving in super-speciality departments or broad speciality subjects not included in the undergraduate (UG) curriculum, and
- Faculty serving in Institutes of National Importance (INIs), such as AIIMS, PGIMER, and JIPMER.
However, NMC has mandated that INI faculty will still need to complete the BCMET course within two years of their appointment to any recognised medical institution under NMC’s purview.
Appeal Committee Consideration
This clarification follows recent deliberations by the NMC’s Appeal Committee in the case of a doctor from AIIMS Gorakhpur who had challenged his ineligibility for a faculty position at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), citing the lack of BCMET and BCBR (Basic Course in Biomedical Research) certifications.
The committee, headed by Dr. B N Gangadhar, observed that while NMC regulations require BCMET and BCBR for promotions to Associate Professor or Professor posts, INIs operate outside NMC’s jurisdiction. Hence, such faculty are not automatically mandated to hold these certifications—unless they shift to an NMC-recognised institution.
Previous Clarification
Earlier, on April 1, 2025, NMC had reiterated that BCMET completion is mandatory for promotion in medical colleges falling under its regulatory framework. However, in cases where appointments were made at the last moment, an affidavit from the state/UT medical education authority must ensure the candidate’s completion of the course within the following academic year.
This clarification is expected to provide relief to several senior faculty working in institutions of national repute while maintaining the training standards for those under NMC’s regulatory domain.
