National Medical Commission (NMC) Imposes Hefty Fines for Violations in Medical Colleges

INDIA: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued stringent guidelines to ensure the maintenance of standards in medical education. The NMC recently published the E-Gazette outlining the “Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023.”

The new regulations lay out the consequences for medical institutions that fail to adhere to statutory provisions, regulations framed under them, or the Minimum Standards of Requirements set by their respective Boards. Any conduct inconsistent with the objectives of medical education and practice will face scrutiny.

As per the official notification, medical institutions found in violation will be subject to significant fines. Specifically, a monetary penalty not exceeding Rs one crore per violation or act of omission will be imposed on the medical institution.

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Range of Penalties

The penalties may encompass various actions, such as:

Warnings: Medical institutions may receive warnings with directions to rectify or comply with the regulations.

Monetary Penalties: Fines not exceeding INR one crore per violation or act of omission by the medical institution can be levied.

Faculty and Officials: Faculty members, Heads of Departments (HoDs), Deans, Directors, and doctors who submit false declarations, documents, or records, including patient records, may face monetary penalties not exceeding Rupees five lakh. Additionally, they can be subject to penalties for misconduct under the Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations.

Accreditation: The accreditation process can be withheld.

Course Admissions: Recommendations to withhold the processing of applications for new courses or seat increases in existing courses may be made for a specific academic year or multiple years.

Student Admissions: The number of students admitted by the medical institution in subsequent academic years may be reduced.

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Course Stoppage: Admission to one or more courses in the next or subsequent academic years can be halted.

Withdrawal of Permission: Recommendations may be made to the NMC for withdrawal of permission.

Accreditation Withdrawal: Accreditation can be withheld or withdrawn for a period of up to five academic years.

Strict Measures Against Pressure

The NMC has also issued a stern warning against any attempts to pressure the Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), or the NMC itself through individuals or agencies. Such efforts will result in an immediate halt to the processing of all applications and requests submitted by the medical institution.

These stringent measures signify the NMC’s commitment to upholding the highest standards in medical education and practice, ensuring that violations and deviations from regulations are met with significant penalties to safeguard the quality of medical institutions and the care they provide.

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