In a move that reeks of regressive outlook, NMC guidelines for MBBS course deems anal sex and being lesbian as unnatural sexual offences.
Published Sep 03, 2024 | 3:05 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 03, 2024 | 4:04 PM
Lesbianism Sodomy still sexual offences in NMC new course. (Supplied)
On 31 August, the National Medical Council (NMC) published the new Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Regulations 2024, outlining the latest guidelines for the MBBS course.
While the CBME guidelines aim to equip medical students with the essential skills to address the nation’s healthcare needs and adapt to evolving medical challenges, they still categorize lesbianism, anal intercourse, and various sexual acts as sexual offences in the Forensic Medicine courses.
This comes six years after the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality under Section 377 of the IPC.
“FM8.4: Describe and discuss adultery and unnatural sexual offences—sodomy, incest, lesbianism, buccal coitus, bestiality, indecent assault—and the preparation of reports, framing of opinions, and preservation and dispatch of trace evidence in such cases,” reads a topic from the new CBME guidelines.
It also requires the description and discussion of sexual perversions, including fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, necrophagia, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia.
“National Medical Commission lists anal sex and being lesbian as unnatural sexual offences, and cross-dressing, BDSM, and fetishes as sexual perversions in its latest CBME curriculum. Three years ago, the same NMC advised universities not to teach LGBTQ+ topics in a derogatory or unscientific manner,” noted the X handle Yes, We Exist, which raises awareness about the LGBTQIA+ community.
National Medical Commission lists anal sex, being lesbian as unnatural sexual offences, cross dressing, bdsm, festishes as sexual perversions in its latest CBME curriculum. 3 years ago, same NMC had advised universities not to teach LGBTQ+ topics in derogatory, unscientific way. pic.twitter.com/dziUlABi2O
— Yes, We Exist 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 (@YesWeExistIndia) September 1, 2024
The curriculum is structured into three phases over 4.5 years. Phase I spans 12 months, focusing on foundational subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, phase II covers 12 months and includes Pathology, Microbiology, and Pharmacology. Phase III, lasting 30 months, is divided into Part I and Part II, covering clinical subjects like General Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Forensic Medicine.
This update comes after five years of implementing the CBME framework, and it also incorporates feedback to make education more learner-centric and aligned with global standards.
Incidentally, even the latest editions of several forensic medicine textbooks, published after the 2018 Supreme Court judgment, still discuss unnatural sexual offences—sodomy, tribadism/lesbianism, bestiality, and buccal/oral coitus. Educational YouTube videos also continue to portray these acts as offences.
Meanwhile, Dr Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist, highlighted that the new NMC guidelines contradict the council’s previous instructions.
“Social Responsiveness is MISSING from the NMC’s new CBME 2024 Curriculum. This is a significant letdown in terms of social responsibility. The NMC violates the Transgender Persons Protection Act, 2019.”
“After being admonished by the Madras and Kerala High Courts, the NMC issued a letter to all medical universities instructing them not to approve content that contains ‘unscientific, derogatory, and discriminatory’ information on the LGBTQ community,” said Dr Satendra Singh citing an NMC letter dated October 2021.
After being admonished by the Madras & Kerala High Courts, the NMC, issued a letter to all medical universities instructing them not to approve content that contains ‘unscientific, derogatory and discriminatory information on LGBTQ community’. 2/ pic.twitter.com/8joZlTt3sy
— Satendra Singh, MD (@drsitu) September 1, 2024
Dr Singh questioned, “How many health professionals from the LGBTQIA+ community were involved in this NMC committee on queer issues? ZERO.”
“Take note of the Chairperson of this committee, who was a UGMEB NMC member. Under these new regulations, signed by the Chair of this committee, the NMC requires faculty to teach MBBS students in Forensic Medicine in 2024 that ‘sodomy’ and ‘lesbianism’ are sexual offences (FM 8.4), and that ‘transvestism’ (cross-dressing) is a ‘sexual perversion’ (FM 8.7).”
Dr Singh also pointed out that the NMC has suddenly removed the mandatory 7 hours of Disability Competencies from the Foundation Course, violating Section 39(2)(f) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA) 2016, which mandates the inclusion of the rights of disabled persons in the curriculum of universities, colleges, and schools.
“Section 47(1)(b) further requires the integration of disability as a component in all educational courses for university teachers, doctors, nurses, and paramedical personnel. The curriculum’s sole focus on the ‘management of disabilities’ reinforces the NMC’s outdated and archaic views,” he stated.
He emphasised the NMC’s reliance on the medical model of disability rather than the human rights model, which should be the vision for Viksit Bharat. “Why must doctors from the disability and trans communities repeatedly take the NMC to court to ensure the implementation of laws already mandated?” Dr Singh questioned.
Meanwhile, two organisations—Doctors with Disabilities: Agents of Change and Association for Transgender Health in India— internationally involved in the inclusion of people with disability and transgender persons in medical education wrote to the Health Minister for immediate intervention.
The letter noted that “The 2024 guidelines are not only outright ableist and queerphobic but also contravene judgments by the Chennai and Kerala High Courts, as well as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities, 2022. The new curriculum also defies the World Federation for Medical Education’s (WFME) Global Standards for Quality Improvement: Basic Medical Education, 2020.”
In the letter dated 3 September, they noted that in case the NMC does not revert its stance, they will write to the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME), which is the global organization dedicated to the education and training of medical
doctors. for temporary suspension of NMC’s recognition by the WFME.
NMC, which gained recognition from WFME in September, 2023, for ten years. However, NMC is at the risk of being temporarily suspended, or denied recognition status, if they are legitimate complaints of dilution of complaints.
“Recognized agencies are monitored by the WFME throughout the duration of recognition and are required to complete a Status Report annually, starting six to eighteen months after formal recognition—making the NMC due for this Status Report,” the letter read.
Urging the authorities to rectify the errors, the organisations noted, “Failure to obtain justice from your high office will leave us with no choice but to lodge a formal complaint with the Recognition Committee of the WFME for substantial noncompliance with the WFME Global Standards for Quality Improvement: Basic Medical Education 2020, specifically concerning Curriculum (2.3), Students (4.1, 4.2), Quality Assurance (7.1), and Governance (8.2). Seeking the temporary suspension of the NMC’s recognition by the WFME for the violations of WFME standards and the laws of India (RPDA 2016 and TPA 2019) until the necessary requirements are fulfilled”
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
