The National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed medical colleges and institutes to comply with Post Graduate Medical Education Board’s (PGMEB) Minimum Standard Requirements for Post Graduate Courses, 2024 (PGMSR, 2024). The notice dated August 23, 2024, contains essential guidelines for medical colleges to adhere to.
The PGMEB has emphasized that the requirements outlined in the public notice are mandatory and must be strictly followed by all concerned medical colleges:
(i) The hospital building shall conform to the existing national building norms and various local statutory regulations for hospitals taking into consideration the requirements of the hospital as a service provider including administration, registration, records storage, out-patient and inpatient areas, operating theaters, Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Radiology and laboratory services, emergency areas, etc. Mandatory regulatory/licensing approvals and all statutory requirement/clearances should have been obtained from the appropriate administrative authorities/State Government/Central Government/Pollution Control Board/Municipal Corporations/ Councils etc.
(ii) There shall be increase in the faculty, infrastructure and other staff in subjects of Radio-diagnosis, Anaesthesia, Pathology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry with the increase in the number of beds in the hospital. Also, there shall be increase in the faculty and infrastructure, if workload in the Department is more. The departments shall have adequate number of latest in-house equipments and training facilities as per curriculum requirement, run by the respective departments for the training of post-graduate students. The departments shall have digital library and seminar hall with wellequipped high speed internet, Wi-Fi connected media room to have direct relay from in-house operation theaters and also to conduct or attend global scientific live programmes.
(iii) At least 80 per cent of the hospital beds should be occupied throughout the year by patients requiring inpatient care.
(iv) Minimum 15 per cent of the total beds in the Department imparting post-graduate training should be Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds/High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds exclusively of that Department.
(v) There shall be adequate space and sufficient number of examination cubicles available in the Out-Patient Department.
(vi) There shall be one teaching room for each teaching department with a capacity to accommodate adequate number of students for clinical case discussions/demonstrations. Each such room shall have audio-visual facilities.
(vii) The institution shall have adequate in-house laboratory and imaging facilities for the training of post-graduate students, which should be fully run by the respective department. Laboratories shall provide all the investigative facilities required and shall be regularly updated keeping in view the advancement of knowledge, science and technology and for research requirements.
(viii) Imaging facilities shall be contemporary and in keeping with the latest technology available for diagnosis and interventions. These facilities shall be run by the Radio-diagnosis department.
(ix) There shall be digital data of records, details with address, ABНА ID, all OP, IP, Deliveries, surgeries, procedures, admission, discharge, birth, death and MRD with ICD classification, investigation done in various Departments/Laboratories etc.
(x) There shall be a Departmental Library with essential books and journals as per curriculum requirements.
(xi) There shall be a well-equipped air-conditioned Blood Bank capable of providing component therapy. The Blood Bank and Blood transfusion services should conform to the guidelines of the National AIDS Control Organization and as prescribed in Schedule- F Part XII-B to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 amended from time to time. The Blood Transfusion services should be under the administrative control of the Department of Pathology of the medical college when there is no separate Department of Immuno hematology and Blood Transfusion
(xii) Faculty shall be full-time and shall not engage in private practice during college hours. It shall be mandatory to have at least 75 per cent attendance of the total working days for the required number of faculties.
(xiii) Close Circuit Camera: Every medical college shall have prescribed number of cameras at the prescribed locations of cameras with Close Circuit Cameras, as prescribed by the National Medical Commission.
(xiv) College Website: Every college /institute shall have its own website which shall display the details of Departments with available facilities, faculty with contact details, PG courses along with number of seats, details of the admitted students and number of OPD, IPD and Surgeries etc. for each Department separately.
By adhering to these minimum standards, medical colleges can ensure that their post graduate programs meet the necessary quality benchmarks, providing students with a comprehensive and rigorous education. The PGMEB’s directive aims to maintain high standards in medical education and produce qualified healthcare professionals.
