New Delhi | Special Correspondent Arun Sharma

Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College (BSA), operated under the Delhi government, is facing an acute faculty shortage of nearly 57 per cent, triggering serious concerns over compliance with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms and the overall quality of MBBS education.


Official data reveal that the college is functioning with just 49 faculty members against the mandatory requirement of 114, a situation that directly violates the Minimum Standard Requirements (MSR) 2023 prescribed by the NMC for a medical college with 150 MBBS seats. The shortfall has raised alarms not only about academic standards but also about patient safety and clinical supervision.


Stark Gap Across Teaching Ranks
As per NMC norms, a 150-seat medical college must have 19 Professors, 40 Associate Professors and 55 Assistant Professors. However, information obtained through RTI shows that BSA Medical College currently has only 14 Professors, 8 Associate Professors and 27 Assistant Professors, leaving 65 teaching posts vacant.


The most critical gap is at the Associate Professor level, where only 8 positions are filled against the required 40—an alarming 80 per cent shortage. Assistant Professors are short by nearly 51 per cent, while even the senior Professor cadre falls short of mandated strength.


Impact on Education and Accreditation
Medical education experts warn that Associate Professors form the backbone of undergraduate teaching, academic mentoring and internal assessment. A massive deficit at this level could severely undermine classroom instruction, clinical training and evaluation of students.


With the college operating at less than half its required faculty strength, concerns are mounting over future NMC inspections, accreditation status and renewal of MBBS seats.


Official Response
NMC officials have stated that the matter will be examined, though no formal complaint has yet been registered regarding the shortage. Meanwhile, the college administration has maintained that recruitment is underway. To bridge the gap, Assistant Professors are being hired on a contractual basis, and recently relaxed NMC norms are being used to induct experienced specialists from government hospitals into teaching roles.


Patient Care at Risk
Health policy experts caution that if the shortage persists, the consequences will extend beyond academics. BSA Hospital caters to a large population in North and North-West Delhi, and faculty members are already under strain due to the dual burden of teaching and clinical responsibilities.
“An overstretched faculty inevitably impacts both student training and patient care. In the long run, this can compromise clinical outcomes and institutional credibility,” experts warned.


The situation at Dr BR Ambedkar Medical College has once again brought the spotlight on systemic gaps in medical education governance, raising a crucial question: Can quality doctors be trained without adequate teachers?