The Gujarat Medical Council has reached out to the National Medical Commission (NMC) regarding the issue of MBBS graduates from the Philippines who have not received their permanent registration numbers. The graduates belong to the December 2022 batch and have complained that they have not received their registration numbers even though they studied in the same country and the same colleges as the June 2022 batch of students. In the case of the June batch, they were issued their permanent registration numbers by NMC after they completed their MBBS degree in the Philippines and returned to India.

According to sources, MBBS graduates from the Philippines before November 18, 2021, are not required to complete the one-year internship after returning to India. However, this rule does not apply to students who returned in 2022.

The National Medical Commission had notified the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021, to seal the fate of foreign medical education courses and end speculations surrounding them. The regulations came into effect on November 18, 2021, and are applicable to all admissions after that date.

The NMC FMGL rules 2021 mandate several conditions that FMGs need to fulfill, including completing a supervised internship in India for a minimum of twelve months.

The MBBS graduates from the Philippines have made multiple complaints to the Gujarat Medical Council, pointing out that without permanent registration numbers, they cannot register themselves for postgraduate exams. The graduates have demanded an immediate solution, calling the disparity in NMC rules unfair.

Sources at the Gujarat Medical Council have informed the media that they have sought clarification from the Commission regarding the disparity in the rules. After receiving a response from the Commission, the Council will issue permanent registration numbers to the foreign medical graduates.

The issue highlights the importance of standardization in medical education and the need for clear and transparent regulations to govern foreign medical education courses. The NMC and other medical education regulatory bodies must work towards creating a fair and transparent system that ensures that all MBBS graduates, irrespective of their country of study, are treated equally and have access to the same opportunities.

As confirmed by Health Minister T. Harish Rao, the state of Telangana in India is set to begin admissions for nine new medical colleges across various districts. The National Medical Commission has already conducted inspections at three of the colleges, with the remaining expected to be completed in the coming days. 

The minister has directed officials to ensure that the colleges meet the norms of the commission and that all necessary facilities are provided before the classes begin. With the addition of these nine medical colleges, the state will have a total of 26 government medical colleges and 3,690 MBBS seats.

These new medical colleges are located in various districts, such as Karimnagar, Khammam, Kamareddy, Vikarabad, Jangaon, Nirmal, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally, Sircilla, and Asifabad. The inspection of three of these colleges has already been done by NMC, with the remaining ones expected to be inspected in the coming days.

During a review meeting on Saturday, Health Minister T. Harish Rao directed officials to ensure that the nine new medical colleges slated to begin admissions this year in various districts of Telangana are prepared to obtain approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC). The Minister emphasized that all pending work should be expedited and there should not be any errors or shortcomings while satisfying the norms of the NMC.

According to the minister, 67 individuals have already received promotions in order to meet the goal of establishing the nine new medical colleges. The minister stated that within a week, 210 associate professors will be posted through counseling, and the process of appointing 1,442 assistant professors has reached the final stage, with the provisional merit list set to be released in two to three days.

 He added that steps should be taken to provide the final appointment letters within 10 days. Additionally, officials were instructed to ensure that all necessary facilities, such as hostel accommodation, furniture, and equipment, are provided before the start of classes.

At the same time, the state’s special chief secretary of finance, Ramakrishna Rao, requested the clearance of pending bills. With the completion of these nine medical colleges this year, the state’s government medical colleges would increase to 26, and the total number of MBBS seats would be 3,690.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College of Aligarh Muslim University has adopted the National Medical Commission’s recommendations, prioritizing practical knowledge over theoretical knowledge. As per the new guidelines, medical students will be engaged in rounds in the operation theatre, OPD, and wards from the first year of their studies. Additionally, the college has reduced the number and duration of lectures and implemented various changes in the approach and structure of teaching and learning.

In compliance with the instructions of the National Medical Commission, JN Medical College is set to undergo a complete transformation in its teaching approach starting next week, along with other central medical colleges in the country.

According to Professor Rakesh Bhargava, the college principal, the number of daily lectures has been reduced from four to five to just two. In the past, students were introduced to OPD in the fourth year, but now they will have the opportunity to participate in it from their first year and also make rounds in the wards to gain practical knowledge on all aspects.

In the college, small groups of two to three students will be formed, and each group will be accompanied by a senior teacher to the operation theater from the first year itself.

The new format in the college involves merging all the departments so that teachers from different departments can work together to design the course format. Additionally, students will be given knowledge of every aspect from the first year itself, including OPD and rounds.

Medical students will be able to learn about every part of the body through models, as the college has introduced models of various organs including hands, feet, and other organs in a special lab. This will ensure that students have a comprehensive understanding of the human body.

In accordance with the guidelines of the National Medical Commission, the JN Medical College of AMU has changed its course format, and now students will no longer have to attend long lectures. Instead, they will study all departments together to clarify doubts and get practical knowledge through various means such as models of organs in a special lab. As per the new format, MBBS students will also start their OPD from the first year itself, and small groups of students will be formed with the guidance of senior teachers. These changes are expected to provide better practical exposure to medical students.

This means that students will be able to apply for admission to the college and take advantage of the available seats.

The National Medical Commission has granted approval for the establishment of Hindoli Medical College in Bundi district, Rajasthan, and has allocated 100 seats for MBBS students starting from the July 2023 academic session. According to Minister Ashok Chandna, the establishment of this medical college will provide the residents of the district with access to quality healthcare services. The college is currently under construction near Talab village in the Hindoli subdivision area. Students can now apply for admission in the session of 2023–24.

As per the latest information, the National Medical Commission has granted approval for the Hindoli Medical College, located in the Bundi district of Rajasthan, to admit 100 medical students for the academic year 2023–24. The college is situated near Talab village in the Hindoli subdivision area. It has been reported that the medical college will commence its academic session in July 2023, following approval from the regulatory body. Rajasthan’s Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sports, Information, and Public Relations, Ashok Chandna, expressed his satisfaction and mentioned that the establishment of the medical college will provide the residents of the region with access to high-quality healthcare services and educational opportunities within their own district.

Minister Ashok Chandna expressed that the establishment of the medical college will bring excellent health services to the district’s residents and increase employment opportunities. The college will follow the rules and regulations of other medical colleges, and its establishment is a matter of joy for not only the Hindoli-Nainwan area but the entire Bundi district.

In a positive development for medical aspirants in Rajasthan, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved the addition of 100 MBBS seats at the Government Medical College in Alwar. These new seats will be available for admission starting from the upcoming academic session in 2023-2024, following the regulatory approval from NMC. The commission inspected the facilities at the college and deemed the infrastructure to be satisfactory for running the MBBS course, leading to the granting of permission for the medical college, according to Times of India.

Last year, the foundation stone for the new medical college in Alwar was virtually laid by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, along with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot.

Recent reports from the media had indicated that a team from the NMC would be inspecting several medical colleges, including those in Bundi, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, and Hanumangarh. To prepare for the inspection, the Rajasthan Medical Education Society (RMES) in Jaipur issued a letter to the principals of these new medical colleges, advising them to be ready for the upcoming assessment.

The Rajasthan Medical Education Society (RMES) issued a letter to the heads of the five new medical colleges, advising them to be prepared for the upcoming inspections by the National Medical Commission (NMC). The RMES emphasized that the inspections would take place soon and urged the colleges to ensure that all preparations were in accordance with NMC guidelines. If any assistance was needed regarding basic necessities, budget, equipment, resources, faculty, and non-faculty staff, the office should be informed.

Recently, the NMC team conducted an inspection of the medical college in Alwar to ensure that it was operating effectively and had sufficient facilities. The team assessed whether the college had fully equipped laboratories, teaching faculty, non-teaching staff, and other necessary infrastructural facilities, in accordance with NMC norms.

According to the latest report from the Times of India, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted permission for 100 MBBS seats to be offered at the medical college in Alwar for the upcoming academic session 2023-2024. This decision comes after an inspection of the college by the NMC, which deemed its facilities adequate for running the MBBS course.

A draft of the new GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION REGULATIONS DRAFT has been released by the Medical NMC. On February 27th, he made it available to the public. On this, he has requested input over the next 30 days. We will examine some of the key ideas in this manuscript. We find that it has included six chapters, each of which has significant ideas that will have an ongoing impact on medical education. This post will go over every detail to make it clear. This draft has 6 crucial chapters, we will discuss them all one by one to make them easily understandable.

Chapter #1 is Preliminaries.

In this, the title, “Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2023” is abbreviated to “GMER 2023”. After that, the commencement of this draft has been specified that this would be published as the official gazette by the National Medical Commission. Since people are given 30 days to comment on this first draft, after that the public will be able to view it until around March 28. As of that day, the commencement will be in effect. Later, the definitions of “act,” “board,” “commission”, “medical institution”, “NEET-UG” have been discussed.

This all was mentioned in the first 3 points. In this, the title, “Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2023” is abbreviated to “GMER 2023”. After that, the commencement of this draft has been specified that this would be published as the official gazette by the National Medical Commission. Since people are given 30 days to comment on this first draft, after that the public will be able to view it until around March 28. As of that day, the commencement will be in effect. Later, the definitions of “act,” “board,” “commission”, “medical institution”, “NEET-UG” have been discussed. This all was mentioned in the first 3 points

Moving further to the next chapter,

Chapter #2 of New Graduate Medical Education Draft

After that, general consideration has been discussed in chapter two. In the overall consideration, there are four key points. Now let’s start with point number 4 and examine what the responsibilities of universities will be. 

• The university to partner with the National Medical Commission and Provide a suitable curriculum to offer the student a complete undergraduate education in medicine and surgery that is of the utmost quality and is reasonably priced.
• Offer both theoretical and practical skills, with a focus on attitude, ethics, and communication abilities to ensure competency-based medical education.
• Encourage students to pursue self-directed learning, which will provide them a sufficient foundation in human health, including India’s indigenous healthcare systems. Yoga and spiritual principles are instilled to help pupils create harmony and calm, ease stress, and combat depression.
• Encourage students to pursue skill development courses of their choice, to enhance their problem-solving capability.
• Motivate the students to uphold the greatest ethical standards throughout their education and careers.
• Conduct regular, transparent evaluations of medical education being offered by medical institutions all around the country to ensure the highest international standards.
• Provide the pupils the assurance they need to deal with crises and disasters of all sizes.

Again, in point number 5, the relevant University must keep the proper records of the work. Furthermore, these should be documented and kept readily available for consultation at all times. Also, the objective is to keep evaluation, transparent, and efficient. Point, number 6, is focused on creating a strategy for making the best use of developing technology. Further, it is crucial that a student may learn in small groups, as stated in point number 7, encourage the learning to happen through smaller groups of students. While discussing that, University / institution shall encourage the medical colleges to offer the ideal quantity and variety of basic credit courses in point number 8.

chapter #3 is the longest and most significant chapter of New Graduate Medical Education Draft .

When it comes to ADMISSION, COUNSELLING, MIGRATION ETC

• The NEET-UG may be carried out by the National Medical Commission, or it may be designated by any other agency or authority. As long as it serves the objective, or NMC may select multiple entities or authorities to carry out NEET-UG.
• The UG Medical Education Board will choose the NEET-UG’s notification format, including its language, format, and other details. To ensure that students are not harmed, the Board must give adequate notice when changing its norms regarding the conduct of NEET-UG.
• No student shall be entitled to pursue graduate medical education in India or anywhere abroad unless they receive the minimum qualifying score on the NEET-UG exam.
• If there are ties in the scores of students taking the NEET-UG exam, the scores in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, in that order, will be taken into account. If the tie were to persist, the qualified candidates would be chosen by computer or IT draw of lots with no human involvement.
• Eligibility to take the NEET-UG – No applicant will be permitted to take the NEET-UG without passing the 10+2 with the subjects of physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and English in the two most recent years of school.
• Without affecting the current Rules or other NMC Regulations, there will be common counselling for admission to graduate medical programs at all Indian medical institutions based on the NEET-UG merit list.
• The National Medical Commission will give a seat matrix for the counselling process; provided, the common counselling may include as many rounds as necessary.
• The UG Medical Education Board must publish guidelines for the performance of common counselling, and the designated authority under section L7 below must conduct the common counselling in accordance with those published rules.
• The Central Government or its designated authority shall be the counselling agency for all India quota seats of the contributing States, and the concerned State Government or the Administration of the Union territory shall be the counselling agency for all admission to graduate courses in medicine across all medical educational institutions in the State / Union territory, respectively, or their respective designated authority.
•  The qualified student only has one chance to choose the school where they wants to pursue graduate medical study. This is determined by the order in which each candidate’s merits are ranked.

As long as the UG Medical Education Council periodically releases guidelines in this regard

• No medical institute shall accept any candidate to the graduate program in violation of these laws. The restriction for any student seeking admission other than through counselling.

The medical institution that admits a student in violation of these regulations is subject to a fine of Rs. 50 lakh per seat for the first offense and Rs. 1 crore per seat for subsequent infractions. For any continued violation, the medical institution will be prohibited from admitting any students beginning with the following academic year.

The student will be expelled from the medical college and the number of seats will be decreased by two for a period of one to several years.

• The authorities who conducted the common counselling must submit the final list of students Within one week of the conclusion of the common counselling in the prescribed pro forma to the Undergraduate Medical Education Board, which will then publish the list on the NMC website.

Only medical institutions that had permission to admit students before the date of notification of common counselling are permitted to do so; medical institutions that receive the necessary approval after the date of notification of common counselling must participate in the common counselling for admission to the following academic year.

Explanation: The necessary license will also apply mutatis mutandis to an increase in the number of seats in existing medical institutions.

• Migration of students is prohibited for those assigned to medical institutions.

Following the first academic year of enrolment, another medical facility. According to UGMEB of NMC standards, students may transfer to another medical college only in extraordinary circumstances and only to those applicants who are the most deserving and have compelling justifications rather than simple procedural considerations.

Migration is only permitted between non-government medical colleges and non-government medical colleges, as well as between government medical colleges. No reciprocal transaction shall be allowed.In addition to this,

In addition to this,

Chapter #4

which outlines the minimal requirements in teams of space, staff, equipment, facility, accommodation, clinical material required throughout the year for medical education. This is for colleges in terms of rules to follow. There are no very significant points in this.

Chapter #5 Competency base dynamic curriculum at undergraduate level. 

• The important point in this is that whatever medical curriculum is concerned, the university will publish and develop it. The Undergraduate Medical Education Board shall publish the model curriculum and the outcome objectives of the same from time to time on the NMC website. This shall form the base for the development of a detailed medical curriculum by the concerned Universities, along with the appropriate methodology to impart meaningful education. Following that, it is discussed the training period and the maximum duration.

• In the next point, it is stated that every student admitted in accordance with these Regulations must complete training in accordance with the guidelines published by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board and displayed on the NMC website on a regular basis.

Under no circumstances shall a student be permitted to repeat the first year, and no student shall be permitted to continue an undergraduate medical course after nine (09) years from the date of admission.

• Further, it is referred to Choose-based credit courses. There shall be a variety of choice-based credit courses of duration limited to a maximum of one week. These courses are offered by the medical institutions in addition to the NMC curriculum and curriculum prescribed by their respective university.

Internship – A student admitted to a graduate medical program is not considered to have graduated until he has completed his rotating medical internship.(accordance with the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations’21).

In Chapter #6, Faculty Development Program. 

In this, it is mentioned that teaching faculty are required

• to understand and apply group dynamics concepts in their teaching of students
• team building exercises
• small group teachings
• encouraging students to self-directed learning, and so on. 

It also discusses student welfare and anti-ragging. A positive learning environment is dependent on student welfare. All students are expected to abide by the Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and institutions, Regulations’21. 

That was all about the NMC [GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION] REGULATIONS OF UG MEDICAL EDUCATION BOARD’23.**This article was written with the inputs provided by Mr. Ashok Singh, director of BODMAS Education Services Private Ltd. BODMAS education has been doing educational research and providing student counseling and advice for the past five years.

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