The National Medical Commission (NMC) has once again revised its Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME-2024) for MBBS students amid significant protests from the Persons with Disabilities and transgender communities regarding certain terminology.
Initially released last month, the guidelines faced severe backlash, leading to their withdrawal due to concerns over the rights of individuals with disabilities and those identifying as transgender. The updated version has not quelled the protests, with activists pointing out that the 466-word document lacks essential terms such as “dignity” and “transgender.” Advocates have called for immediate revisions to the guidelines, addressing the needs and rights of marginalized groups.
The NMC serves as the primary authority overseeing medical education in the country.
Disability rights activist Dr. Satendra Singh highlighted that during the two-week foundational course, while eight hours are allocated to “sports,” there is no clear mention of required disability competencies, which were part of the 2019 curriculum. The current guidelines continue to reference outdated terms like “gender identity disorders” and categorize intersex variations as “abnormalities.” Additionally, topics related to gender dysphoria and diverse sexual orientations are notably absent in pediatric education.
Dr. Singh expressed concern that the curriculum predominantly focuses on disability management rather than acknowledging the diverse identities within this community.
Initially released on August 31, the NMC’s new CBME curriculum faced immediate objections from disability and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, prompting its retraction within a week.
The latest syllabus, however, has excluded terms like lesbianism and sodomy from the MBBS curriculum. Nevertheless, it does integrate discussions on the history of gender and sexuality-based identities and rights in India, as well as topics such as the decriminalization of adultery and consensual same-sex relationships. The teaching hours, attendance, and guidelines for the National Exit Test (NExt) remain consistent with previous versions.
In response, advocates for disability and transgender rights are demanding the reinclusion of mandatory disability competencies, as well as provisions from the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the Transgender Persons Protection Act, 2019. They are calling for the curriculum to include case studies that offer cultural context on disability, transgender, intersex, and queer identities, with an emphasis on intersectionality. Furthermore, there is a push to involve health professionals and students from these communities in the revision process.
Published – September 14, 2024 03:57 am IST
