Hyderabad: NMMTA expresses concern over NMC policy changes; says livelihood at stake

Hyderabad: National Medical M.Sc. Teachers’ Association (NMMTA) has expressed serious concerns over recent policy changes by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

NMMTA said it will significantly impact Medical M.Sc. and Ph.D. educators across India. The Association claims the changes have triggered a growing crisis of livelihood, mental health, and professional uncertainty among thousands of non-clinical medical educators.

According to the NMMTA, recent regulations issued by the NMC’s Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) have reduced the permissible number of Medical M.Sc. and Ph.D. educators in non-clinical subjects—such as Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology—from 30% to 15%. The policy also excludes them entirely from teaching positions in Microbiology and Pharmacology, two key pre-clinical subjects.

These changes, the association says, are having wide-ranging consequences on both educators and the broader medical education system. While Medical M.Sc. and Ph.D. educators have long been part of the foundational training of MBBS students, many are now finding themselves excluded from faculty roles they previously held.

Mental Health and Job Security Concerns

Educators affected by the policy report increasing mental health concerns, particularly among those in mid- and late-career stages. NMMTA has cited rising levels of anxiety, depression, and professional burnout as a direct result of job insecurity and career stagnation.

“The Medical M.Sc. and Ph.D. teachers in medical colleges are tired, exhausted, and depressed by the continuous discrimination they have faced from the NMC, particularly from its Under-Graduate Medical Education Board,” said Dr. Arjun Maitra, President of the NMMTA.

He added that the fear of an uncertain future is taking a toll on the health and morale of educators. “These educators are highly trained professionals who have dedicated decades to medical education. The NMC’s policies are systematically destroying their careers and livelihoods,” he said.

Policy Impact and Call for Reversal

The association estimates that approximately 5,000 educators nationwide have been affected. The removal of Medical M.Sc. and Ph.D. professionals from roles in Microbiology and Pharmacology, in particular, has raised questions about the availability of qualified faculty in these areas and the future of teaching foundational sciences in medical institutions.

Dr. Maitra said the new regulations appear to be driven by bias. “The UGMEB is working in a prejudiced manner, trying to uproot highly educated teachers from the medical education system. Removing Medical M.Sc. and Medical Ph.D. educators from the system is equivalent to removing science from medical science itself.”

The NMMTA has warned that excluding these educators from essential teaching roles could have long-term consequences for medical education, as students may not receive adequate grounding in basic sciences required for clinical practice.

The association has urged the NMC to reverse the changes and restore previous levels of representation. It is also calling for a transparent and consultative process involving all stakeholders before implementing structural changes in faculty regulations.

As of now, the NMC has not publicly responded to the concerns raised by the NMMTA.