The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently issued comprehensive clarifications to address concerns and questions from various stakeholders regarding its new “Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025.” These regulations officially took effect on June 30, 2025. Through an official communication, the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) under the NMC has provided a detailed set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to ensure consistent interpretation and adherence to the updated norms for faculty eligibility, experience, and recognition during the transition period.
Understanding Applicability and Transitional Provisions
These new regulations became effective on June 30, 2025, the date of their official publication. To ease the transition, the NMC will accept three years of continuous, full-time experience obtained in specific institutions and departments focusing on emerging specialties. Recognized experience includes:
- Full-time roles in departments of NMC-approved medical colleges or teaching institutions that possess dedicated facilities for the new specialty.
- Service at renowned national institutions such as AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS Bengaluru, JIPMER Puducherry, and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Work experience from NBEMS-accredited institutions, as well as other well-regarded national or international institutions, subject to NMC’s specific assessment and approval.
Criteria for Senior Consultants, Professors, and Associate Professors
Under the updated framework, a Senior Consultant is defined as a specialist within an NBEMS-accredited department of a government institute who fulfills the board’s specified qualifications and experience to serve as a postgraduate teacher. These candidates must submit an official experience certificate from their institution when applying for a Professor position in any medical college.
To achieve the rank of Professor, candidates must possess a minimum of three years of postgraduate teaching experience after meeting the eligibility requirements for a Senior Consultant and PG teacher in their respective specialty. Furthermore, individuals with a cumulative 10 years of post-PG experience in government hospitals having at least 220 beds are eligible for the Associate Professor role, provided they complete mandatory courses in medical education and biomedical research within two years of their appointment.
Assistant Professor Eligibility
According to Note 3(c) of Table E, a registered medical practitioner holding a recognized postgraduate qualification and two years of combined experience in a government hospital with at least 220 beds can qualify as an Assistant Professor, even without previously completing a one-year Senior Residency in a medical college.
Moreover, individuals who obtained a diploma and were appointed as Senior Residents before June 8, 2017, may be considered for the Assistant Professor position after accumulating four years of experience in an NMC-recognized teaching institution. Similarly, practitioners with diploma qualifications and six years of post-diploma experience in recognized medical teaching institutions are also eligible for this role.
Special Provisions for Emergency Medicine
In a significant clarification, the NMC has stated that faculty from specialties such as General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Respiratory Medicine, Orthopaedics, and General Medicine can be directly appointed as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor in Emergency Medicine. This eligibility is contingent upon their cumulative teaching experience within their original specialties. Furthermore, their previous experience will also be recognized for promotions to administrative roles.
Super Specialty Faculty Equivalence
Under the guidelines outlined in Table F’s footnote, a faculty member who holds a super specialty qualification and is currently working in a recognized medical institution within a broad specialty department will be eligible for an equivalent position in their relevant super specialty department. Additionally, those actively involved in teaching within departments designated as “feeder specialities” will also be considered for these appointments.
Ensuring Consistent Implementation
The NMC has strongly advised all medical colleges, government hospitals, and teaching institutions to strictly follow this clarified framework. The Commission emphasizes that these regulations are designed to foster transparency, consistency, and a merit-based approach to faculty recruitment throughout India’s growing medical education sector.
Sources close to the matter indicate that this initiative is part of a larger effort to align Indian medical education with international best practices. It also aims to create clear career advancement paths for skilled practitioners coming from government and NBEMS-accredited institutions.
With these comprehensive clarifications now in effect, the NMC anticipates a smoother rollout of the 2025 faculty qualification standards. This is widely considered a crucial step towards enhancing both India’s medical education system and its overall healthcare services.