NMC tightens rules for medical faculty appointments; defines 'valid teaching experience'

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a detailed clarification on the evaluation of postgraduate medical teaching and training experience in India, stating that only experience gained in 'recognised departments' will be considered valid for academic and professional purposes. This move follows instances in which NMC found that some institutions were counting teaching experience from unapproved departments. This practice calls into question the regulatory validity of these claims for faculty appointments and promotions.

Regulatory Framework

This clarification is based on the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, and the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025. Under these norms, teaching experience is valid only when obtained from NMC-recognized medical colleges and approved departments that maintain sanctioned infrastructure, faculty strength, and permitted postgraduate seats. The NMC has clarified that any teaching or training experience from an unrecognized or unapproved department will not be counted.

This restriction applies to postgraduate examination eligibility, recognition as a teacher or guide, faculty appointments, and all academic or administrative evaluations. Furthermore, any experience certificate issued for service in an unapproved department will be treated as invalid and cannot be used to determine eligibility for any recognition under NMC regulations.

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Institutions' responsibility

The NMC has established clear mandates for medical colleges and universities. Institutions must ensure that experience certificates are issued only for departments recognized by the NMC. Specifically, no certificates should be issued for service in unapproved units, and all documentation must align strictly with NMC-approved records. To maintain compliance, institutions will implement rigorous internal verification mechanisms before certifying any teaching or training experience.

Key objectives of the clarification are to:

• Prevent misuse of unrecognised departments for claiming teaching experience
• Ensure uniform standards in postgraduate medical education
• Maintain transparency in faculty eligibility and promotions
• Strengthen the credibility of academic and training credentials in medicine

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The Commission has also stressed that postgraduate medical education must be guided by strict compliance, responsibility, and regulatory foresight.

The circular has been sent to the Vice-Chancellors of health universities across States and Union Territories, Directors General of Health Services, and heads of medical colleges offering postgraduate courses. It has also been copied to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and the Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.