Newly established government medical colleges (GMCs) in Telangana are facing significant faculty shortages, according to a recent survey conducted by the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA). The assessment reveals that many departments in these institutes either lack any faculty members or are being run by just one teacher, raising questions about compliance with National Medical Commission (NMC) standards and educational quality.
Survey Findings: Faculty Vacancies and Single-Teacher Departments
The TSRDA survey examined the staffing levels in approximately 400 academic departments across 36 government medical colleges in Telangana. Results showed that:
- 26 departments have zero faculty members across all academic ranks — professor, associate professor and assistant professor, with only senior residents managing academic duties.
- 31 departments are operating with just one teaching staff member, placing heavy responsibility on a lone educator.
These shortages are particularly prevalent in non-clinical departments such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, forensic medicine and social & preventive medicine, which are critical for foundational medical education. A few clinical areas, including Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy (DVL) and Radiology, also reported similar gaps.
NMC Faculty Requirements and Regulatory Concerns
Under the National Medical Commission’s Minimum Standard Requirements (MSR) Guidelines, 2023, medical colleges are required to maintain a minimum number of faculty members. For undergraduate MBBS courses, each department must have two to four faculty members per batch of 50 students, with representation at every level of academic rank, plus a senior resident. PG regulations typically require at least three faculty members per specialty. Experts and resident doctors warn that operating departments with insufficient teaching staff is academically unsustainable. It undermines rigorous curriculum delivery, internal assessments, postgraduate training and even official inspections, potentially risking loss of NMC approval or restrictions on starting new postgraduate programmes.
New GMC Expansion in Telangana and Staffing Challenges
Telangana has seen rapid expansion in public medical education in recent years. The state nearly doubled its number of medical colleges between 2021 and 2024 as part of a mission to establish at least one government medical college in each district. This expansion has significantly increased MBBS seats but has outpaced faculty recruitment. Many current faculty appointments are on short-term contracts, and where staffing exists, it is often limited or concentrated in a few established institutions such as Osmania Medical College and Gandhi Medical College.
Calls for Action and Policy Implications
The TSRDA and other medical education stakeholders have urged authorities to fill vacant posts promptly to uphold educational standards and safeguard students’ training quality. Adequate staffing is seen as vital for maintaining academic rigour, improving healthcare outcomes, and supporting professional development within the medical workforce. The findings shed light on structural challenges in Telangana’s medical education system, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement of faculty norms and sustainable staffing strategies in rapidly expanding government medical colleges.