NMC’s Global Accreditation Highlights Role in Quality Medical Education and Scientific Practices: Parliamentary Panel

A parliamentary group has pointed out that health research funding isn't growing. They repeated their advice to change the NExT and FMGE exams and build more medical schools to handle the demand for MBBS programs.

The group noted that global approval of the NMC, which regulates medical education in India, indicates that it needs to focus on ensuring the education system is fair and evidence-based.

The World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) has given the National Medical Commission (NMC) global approval for ten years. The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare said in a report that this approval gives the NMC a key job: to improve the standard of medical education in the nation.

The NMC must ensure that medical education is both high-quality and affordable so that future doctors can meet the public's health needs. The group stated that good healthcare in the future will only be possible with a strong, up-to-date medical education system and adequate funding for facilities and teachers.

According to the report, global approval means that the NMC must now work to ensure that the education system is fair across the country.  And encourage practices based on evidence, modern scientific progress, critical thinking, professional goals, moral values, and good behavior among doctors.

A committee has voiced concerns about the government's reaction to their advice on financial aid for research.

The committee noted that health research spending by both the government and medical schools has not grown as a percentage of GDP in recent years. They suggested that medical research and innovation greatly need support.

The panel said it is important to raise government spending on health research or offer means for cooperation with private research companies.

For valuable research, the committee repeated its suggestion that the government should create guidelines to decide on which research areas to focus on, based on the country's disease problems and focus areas. They proposed that schools could create groups of senior staff to decide on research priorities.

The panel added that these research projects should be funded partly by the schools and partly by government groups like the ICMR.

Foreign medical graduates encounter difficulties

The committee noted that many students seek MBBS admission abroad because of high demand and limited seats in domestic colleges. These graduates often face major problems passing licensing exams and getting permanent registration in different states.

The Foreign Medical Graduate Regulation of 2021 requires a one-year rotating internship as extra training in medical education or large non-teaching hospitals.

Given that foreign graduates help maintain the doctor-to-population ratio, the committee repeated its suggestion that FMG Regulations 2021 should simplify registration and internship processes, while still ensuring the quality of the Indian healthcare system.

The panel suggested that the government should expand medical colleges to educate more MBBS students domestically. This could improve the doctor-to-population ratio and reduce dependence on foreign graduates.