NMC rubbishes media reports, says online MBBS classes are valid

Rubbishing media reports that said that online classes for MBBS students were being held without the approval of the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), the regulatory body, now known as National Medical Commission (NMC) has clarified that all such classes are valid and are duly recognised by it.

“…it is clarified that in view of Pandemic COVID-19 the medical colleges/institutions in India are conducting online theory classes for MBBS students. Online classes are valid and were approved for teaching during current Pandemic COVID-19 only,” the medical body said in a statement released on October 1.

The NMC said that while it has granted permission for holding theory classes online for now, practical and clinical training as per current curriculum in all MBBS subjects in the colleges/institutions and affiliated hospitals will be held once the institutions reopen.

Media reports on September 29, quoting an old statement of the MCI used in a representation made by students of SRM College and Hospital in Tamil Nadu, had claimed that the regulatory body does not recognise online classes that students have been attending for the past six months.

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Senior advocate R Vaigai had made a submission in the Madras High Court about MCI’s ‘stand’ based on a string of pleas moved by parents of medical students challenging the college’s demand to pay full fees for the lockdown period.

While advocates representing the college had quoted the amount of fees to be paid by the students, Vaigai argued that a MCI reply dated August 13 asserts that it does not recognise online classes, thereby making all claims of the college to charge fees for online classes null and void.

Clarifying this point in its October 1 statement, the NMC said that the statement of the MCI quoted by the media pertained to an old reply by the regulatory body (given on September 12, 2020) to an RTI query on the conduct of MBBS teaching curriculum by foreign medical university through online medium only.