NMC may drop 3-year HoD rotation in medical colleges; PGMEB suggests merit-cum-seniority system

After receiving around 421 suggestions from medical colleges, academicians, and subject experts on the proposed amendment for rotation of the Head of Department (HOD) post every three years, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has planned to reconsider the policy and retain the existing system that allows flexibility in HoD tenure and appointment on merit-based in medical colleges.

The proposed amendment under Clause 7.1 of the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER), 2023, had suggested that the post of HoD should rotate every three years among eligible professors and associate professors on the basis of seniority within the department.

However, after receiving around 512 responses, of which 421 recommendations were related to HoD rotation revision, 249 of them opposed the policy, while only 172 were for it, according to an official statement.

The stakeholders recommended that academic leadership should be merit-based, considering administrative capacity, research output, and teaching excellence, it read.

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PGMEB views on 3-year fixed tenure for HoD post

Expressing that the fixed HoD tenure will lead to workplace imbalance and could invite dispute, the stakeholders said: “Frequent changes in leadership could destabilize academic planning and regulatory compliance. Junior Associate Professors may end up supervising senior Professors, leading to workplace disharmony.”

“Mandatory rotation without merit criteria may foster internal conflicts. The regulation may undermine the discretion of institutions in selecting their HoDs based on performance and context,” they added.

Considering the suggestions, the PGMEB has recommended that the mandatory rotation of HoD tenure should be “revisited.”

The board suggested continuing the existing system that allows flexibility in the HoD tenure and introducing periodic performance reviews by a competent authority to ensure credibility and accountability.

PGMEB also suggested a few key points on the HoD tenure and said: “Retain the current system that allows flexibility in HoD tenure. Introduce periodic performance review mechanisms by a competent authority. Ensure leadership transitions are guided by institutional need, academic excellence, and proven administrative capability rather than rigid tenure limits.”

“This approach will ensure that departmental leadership remains robust, accountable, and aligned with the evolving demands of postgraduate medical education and research in India,” the board added.