NMC Allows Medical Colleges to Determine Faculty Eligibility Criteria

Summary:
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has shifted the responsibility for determining faculty eligibility to medical colleges, universities, and other appointing authorities under the MIQF-2025 regulations. The move aims to reduce routine eligibility requests, streamline appointments and promotions, and improve institutional accountability. While the PGMEB will continue to handle exceptional cases involving regulatory ambiguity or qualification equivalence, institutions will now assess most eligibility matters directly, supported by a new review mechanism and processing fee for complex cases. 

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced that the responsibility for determining the eligibility of candidates for faculty positions in medical institutions will now lie with the respective appointing authorities, including medical colleges and universities. The move is intended to reduce routine requests for eligibility certificates and clarifications that have traditionally been submitted to the regulator.

The clarification has been issued by the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) under the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025 (MIQF-2025), which came into effect after the regulations were notified on June 30, 2025.

The NMC has also circulated the notification to directors, principals, and deans of medical colleges across the country for implementation.

According to the Commission, it has been receiving a large number of routine applications from faculty members, medical colleges, universities, NBEMS-accredited hospitals, and other stakeholders seeking eligibility certificates or clarifications for appointments and promotions to teaching positions.

The NMC stated that the MIQF-2025 regulations already provide detailed provisions covering academic qualifications, teaching experience, research publication requirements, training, and other eligibility criteria. As a result, most routine requests can now be assessed directly by institutions without requiring intervention from the regulator.

Accordingly, the PGMEB will no longer process standard eligibility requests where the applicable regulations clearly define the requirements. Instead, medical colleges, universities, and other appointing authorities will be responsible for evaluating whether candidates satisfy the prescribed criteria for recruitment or promotion.

However, the Board will continue to consider exceptional matters involving ambiguity, interpretation of regulations, equivalence of qualifications, transitional provisions, or other complex regulatory issues.

The NMC specified that such cases must be forwarded only through the Dean,Director,Principal, Registrar, or another authorised appointing authority, accompanied by complete supporting documents and appropriate justification.

The Commission has also introduced a non-refundable processing fee for every such reference. Applications submitted directly by individuals will generally not be accepted unless the institution does not forward a legitimate case involving ambiguity within 60 days of receiving the request.

In such situations, applicants may approach the PGMEB directly by providing documentary evidence, an undertaking confirming the accuracy of the information submitted, and proof of payment of the prescribed processing fee.

The public notice further states that candidates who are dissatisfied with the decision of the competent authority may request a review by the NMC within 30 days, provided they submit all relevant documents along with the required fee. The PGMEB will assess these cases on their merits and aims to dispose of them within 60 days.

According to the Commission, the revised framework is designed to improve accountability in faculty appointments and promotions, reduce repetitive processing of routine eligibility queries, lessen administrative workload, minimise public grievances and avoid unnecessary litigation, while ensuring that genuinely complex regulatory matters receive timely consideration.