New Delhi, January 15, 2026: Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College (BSA), a Delhi government–run institution, is currently operating with a severe 57% shortfall in teaching faculty. This places the medical college in direct violation of National Medical Commission (NMC) norms for MBBS education, according to official data.
While BSA currently admits 125 MBBS students annually, the institution is being assessed against faculty norms applicable to 150-seat medical colleges, as confirmed by an NMC official. Under the Minimum Standard Requirements (MSR) 2023, a medical college with 150 MBBS seats must maintain 114 teaching faculty members, comprising 19 professors, 40 associate professors, and 55 assistant professors.
However, an RTI reply reveals that the medical college has only 49 teaching faculty members in position, including 14 professors, 8 associate professors, and 27 assistant professors. This leaves a deficit of 65 posts.
The most critical gap exists at the associate professor level, where BSA meets just 20% of the requirement. Against the NMC norm of 40 associate professors, the college has only eight, representing a shortfall of 32 posts and an alarming 80% deficit.
The college is also short of professors, with 14 in position against a requirement of 19, meeting 74% of the norm. Assistant professors stand at 27 against a required 55, reflecting a 51% deficit.
| Position | NMC Requirement (150 seats) | Current Strength | Shortfall | Deficit % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professors | 19 | 14 | 5 | 26% |
| Associate Professors | 40 | 8 | 32 | 80% |
| Assistant Professors | 55 | 27 | 28 | 51% |
| Total | 114 | 49 | 65 | 57% |
BSA is functioning with less than 50% of the teaching faculty mandated by the NMC. This raises serious concerns about compliance, academic quality, and inspection preparedness. Faculty strength is a key parameter for NMC approval and renewal of MBBS admissions. Persistent shortages can invite regulatory action, including adverse inspection remarks, restrictions on admissions, or reduction of seats.
When contacted, NMC officials told The Times of India (TOI) that they would investigate the matter, adding that no complaint regarding faculty shortages at BSA has been received so far.
A senior BSA official, speaking on condition of anonymity to TOI, confirmed that a recruitment drive is currently underway, with the college appointing assistant professors on a contractual basis to bridge the faculty gap.
The official explained that under relaxed norms introduced by the NMC, non-teaching specialists or consultants working in government hospitals can now be inducted into medical colleges, those with 10 years’ experience as associate professors and those with 2 years’ experience as assistant professors even without mandatory senior residency.
However, since these norms were relaxed only in July last year, the official noted that it would take at least one year for the process to stabilize and translate into permanent appointments.
The faculty requirements are mandated under the National Medical Commission (Undergraduate Medical Education Board) Notification dated August 16, 2023, issued under the powers conferred by sub-sections (a), (d), and (e) of Section 24, read with Sections 26, 28, and 29 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
The guidelines fall under Regulation 10 of the Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses & Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023 (UG-MSR 2023) and Regulation 19 of the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023.
(Rh/VK)