Medical colleges in Bengaluru are facing a shortage of teaching faculty, especially in pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. To meet regulatory requirements set by the National Medical Commission, institutions have increased salaries and offered incentives to attract qualified educators. The situation has intensified in recent years due to the rapid expansion of medical colleges and MBBS seats, without a proportional rise in trained teaching staff. As a result, foundational medical science departments are witnessing the highest salary growth, highlighting a widening gap between demand for medical educators and their availability.
Medical colleges in Bengaluru are facing an acute teaching faculty shortage, particularly in pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects. To meet regulatory requirements and continue undergraduate medical training, institutions have increased salaries and offered additional incentives to attract qualified educators.
Several private medical colleges in Bengaluru have raised monthly salaries for faculty members teaching anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, forensic medicine, and community medicine. Reports indicate that some colleges are offering ₹3–4 lakh per month for these positions, which is higher than the salaries offered to many clinical faculty members.
These subjects form the foundation of medical education and are taught mainly during the first two years of the MBBS course. Colleges are required to maintain strict teacher-student ratios as mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The shortage affects medical colleges, students, and the healthcare education system as a whole. Institutions such as Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences, MVJ Medical College, Oxford Medical College, and East Point College of Medical Sciences have reported difficulties in recruiting and retaining faculty for pre-clinical and para-clinical departments.
D Prem Kumar, Principal and Dean, East Point College of Medical Sciences, told The Times of India that the highest-paid faculty positions are for specialists in anatomy, which is facing the most acute shortage of teachers. The shortage is predominantly in junior positions.
Medical graduates with postgraduate qualifications in these subjects are limited in number. Many prefer careers in clinical practice, research, or administrative roles rather than full-time teaching positions.
The increase in salaries is driven by a demand-supply mismatch. Over the past decade, India has expanded its medical education capacity by increasing the number of medical colleges and MBBS seats. While student intake has risen, the availability of trained teaching faculty has not increased at the same pace.
Pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects do not offer opportunities for private practice, which makes them less financially attractive compared to clinical specialties. To compensate for this gap, colleges are using higher pay and additional benefits to recruit faculty.
Medical colleges are adopting several strategies to meet faculty requirements. These include offering higher salaries, housing allowances, academic incentives, predictable working hours, and opportunities for research and professional development.
SNVL Narasimha Raju, Chairman of Oxford Educational Institutions said, "We try to retain them with attractive salaries as poaching between colleges, sometimes even from other states, is a big challenge. While the faculty for clinical programmes are paid around 2 lakhs, the salary for pre- and para-clinical faculty is around 3.5 lakhs."
Some institutions are also appointing senior faculty members in junior positions when permitted under NMC regulations. Colleges report frequent movement of faculty between institutions, which has intensified competition and further driven up salaries.
The shortage has become more visible in recent years, especially after the expansion of medical colleges following regulatory reforms. Bengaluru, a major hub for private medical education in Karnataka, has seen sharper competition due to the high concentration of institutions within the city and surrounding regions.
Faculty availability plays a critical role in maintaining the quality of medical education. Pre-clinical subjects are essential for understanding disease mechanisms, diagnostics, and treatment principles. Shortages in teaching staff may strain existing faculty and affect structured learning for undergraduate students.
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