Health Ministry clarification on Medical Mscs to be appointed and promoted to the post of Assistant Professors without PhD
Health Ministry clarifies on appointment of non medical teachers in medical colleges – Health Ministry recently issued a clarification by writing to Medical as well as Health Equations and Principal Secretaries of all the states regarding non-medical teachers’ appointment in several medical colleges across India. In its letter, the Ministry has clarified regarding the Medical Council of India’s Minimum Teachers Qualification regarding teachers’ appointment as per the Medical Education Regulations, 1988, also known as MCI TEQ Rules, for the appointment of non-medical teachers in Medical colleges
Recently National MSc Medical Teachers Association (NMMTA) had submitted a representation to Union Health Ministry asking for clarification regarding the appointment of non-medical teachers in Indian medical colleges. Replying to this clarification, the Ministry stated that an MSc graduate needs a PhD degree to get a promotion after they become Assistant Professor. The officials clarified that Medical MSc are qualified to become Lecturers and they can be promoted to AP posts with PhDs.
The clarification states that according to MCI TEQ Rule, 1998 that several departments such as Physiology, Anatomy Biochemistry, Microbiology and Pharmacology can appoint non-medical teachers who could constitute up to 30% of the department. To get the higher promotion, such candidates must have PhDs in their respective subjects after they become Assistant Professors. In departments such as Biochemistry, such teachers can be appointed to 50% extent of the posts.
NMMTA President Dr Sridhar Rao has expressed his happiness on health Ministry’s clarification and has stated that this statement is essential for the association as several elements had tried to spread misinformation regarding the eligibility of non-medical teachers.
See: Top Medical Colleges in India
Earlier several medical colleges along with the Department of Medical Education under State Government had refused to grant promotion to non-medical lecturers who did not hold PhDs. With this clarification, everything now has been put on rest. During February, Punjab and Haryana High Court in its ruling had stated that those non-medical teachers who held professor post in non-clinical departments of Medical Colleges were eligible to become Head of Departments.