Curriculum Committee

1. PREAMBLE

This Constitution is framed in accordance with the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, regulations issued by the Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), and the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) Guidelines, 2024, issued by the National Medical Commission from time to time.

The institution is committed to providing high-quality medical education through effective curriculum design, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement in alignment with the vision and mission of the National Medical Commission and graduate medical education regulations.

2. NOMENCLATURE

The Committee constituted under this Constitution shall be known as the "Curriculum Committee" (hereinafter referred to as "CC" or "the Committee") for the purpose of ensuring effective delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of the undergraduate medical curriculum at the institution.

3. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Constitution:

• CBME means Competency Based Medical Education as prescribed by the National Medical Commission.
• CISP means Curriculum Implementation Support Program conducted for faculty development in implementing the CBME curriculum.
• MEU means Medical Education Unit responsible for training support and conduct of faculty development programs.
• Phase-wise Sub-Committee means sub-committees constituted for effective implementation of curriculum in each phase of the MBBS program (Phase I, Phase II, Phase III Part 1, and Phase III Part 2).
• Alignment and Integration Team means faculty groups responsible for horizontal and vertical integration of curriculum across disciplines.
• UGMEB means Under Graduate Medical Education Board of the National Medical Commission.

4. COMPOSITION OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

4.1 The Curriculum Committee shall consist of the following members nominated by the Management of Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital:

Table 1: Composition of Curriculum Committee

4.2 Mandatory Requirements

• The Principal/Dean shall be the Chairman of the Curriculum Committee.
• The committee shall have representation from pre-clinical, para-clinical, medical, and surgical specialties.
• All faculty members should preferably have attended rBCW/BCME and CISP programs.
• The MEU Coordinator shall act as Member Secretary and coordinate all curriculum-related activities.
• One student representative from Phase III shall be included to provide learner perspective.
• The Dean/Principal and MEU Coordinator shall be the only common members in both MEU and Curriculum Committee.

4.3 Distinction Between Curriculum Committee and Medical Education Unit

• The Curriculum Committee shall ensure implementation and monitoring of curriculum, conduct of CISP, timetable scheduling, and oversight of curricular delivery.
• The Medical Education Unit (MEU) shall focus on training support, conduct of BCME, and other in-house training of faculty.
• Both committees shall function independently with only the Dean/Principal and MEU Coordinator as common members.

5. TENURE OF MEMBERS

• The Curriculum Committee shall function for a minimum tenure of four years.
• Any change in composition thereafter shall seek prior approval of the Academic Cell, UGMEB, National Medical Commission.
• The student representative shall be nominated annually from Phase III students.
• Members may be re-nominated for subsequent terms.
• Any vacancy arising due to transfer, retirement, resignation, or otherwise shall be filled by fresh nomination within 30 days with intimation to NMC.

6. OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS

The objectives and functions of the Curriculum Committee shall include:

• To ensure that the institutional curricular plan and its delivery are aligned with and in accordance with the principles and requirements of graduate medical education regulations
• To act as the overall in-charge of curricular delivery at the institution
• To provide oversight and support to the curricular program
• To ensure implementation and monitoring of the CBME curriculum as prescribed by NMC
• To create timetables with the help of phase-wise sub-committees and alignment and integration teams, and approve them
• To ensure conduct of Curriculum Implementation Support Programs (CISP) for faculty
• To provide necessary authority and support for the work of curriculum implementation
• To ensure vertical and horizontal integration of curriculum across disciplines and phases
• To monitor student learning outcomes and competency achievement
• To conduct periodic curriculum evaluation and recommend improvements
• To coordinate with examination committee for assessment design aligned with competencies
• To prepare reports and submit them to NMC as required
• To address curriculum-related grievances and challenges
• To organize curriculum review meetings and faculty development activities
• To maintain documentation of curriculum implementation and modifications

7. PHASE-WISE SUB-COMMITTEES

The Curriculum Committee shall constitute phase-wise sub-committees for effective implementation:

7.1 Phase I Sub-Committee (Foundation Course and Basic Sciences)

• Head of Department, Anatomy
• Head of Department, Physiology
• Head of Department, Biochemistry
• One faculty member from Community Medicine
• One student representative from Phase I

7.2 Phase II Sub-Committee (Para-clinical and Community Medicine)

• Head of Department, Pathology
• Head of Department, Microbiology
• Head of Department, Pharmacology
• Head of Department, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
• Head of Department, Community Medicine
• One student representative from Phase II

7.3 Phase III Part 1 Sub-Committee (Clinical Postings)

• Head of Department, General Medicine
• Head of Department, General Surgery
• Head of Department, Obstetrics and Gynecology
• One faculty member from allied specialties
• One student representative from Phase III Part 1

7.4 Phase III Part 2 Sub-Committee (Clinical Specialties and Electives)

• Representatives from Pediatrics, Orthopedics, ENT, Ophthalmology
• Representative from Psychiatry and Dermatology
• Representative from Anesthesiology and Radiology
• One student representative from Phase III Part 2/Interns

8. ALIGNMENT AND INTEGRATION TEAMS

The Curriculum Committee shall constitute topic-specific alignment and integration teams for:

• Horizontal Integration: Ensuring multidisciplinary foundational concepts from basic sciences are integrated into clinical medicine understanding
• Vertical Integration: Ensuring proper sequencing of courses to facilitate progressive building of concepts and student learning
• Early Clinical Exposure (ECE): Coordinating early clinical exposure activities across phases
• Attitude, Ethics and Communication (AETCOM): Ensuring integrated teaching of professional values
• Community Medicine Integration: Ensuring public health perspective across curriculum

9. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE

The Curriculum Committee shall have the following powers and duties:

9.1 Curriculum Design and Management

• Design, develop, and modify curriculum in alignment with NMC guidelines
• Ensure logical and coherent distribution of competencies among courses
• Review and approve course syllabi and teaching-learning methodologies

9.2 Timetable and Scheduling

• Prepare and approve academic calendar and master timetable
• Allocate teaching hours and clinical postings as per NMC norms
• Coordinate examination schedules with examination committee

9.3 Implementation and Monitoring

• Monitor day-to-day implementation of curriculum across all phases
• Conduct regular meetings with phase coordinators and HODs
• Address implementation challenges and provide solutions

9.4 Faculty Development

• Ensure all faculty undergo rBCW/BCME and CISP training
• Coordinate with MEU for faculty training needs
• Encourage faculty participation in advanced courses (ACME, FAIMER)

9.5 Assessment and Evaluation

• Ensure assessment methods are aligned with competency-based approach
• Review formative and summative assessment results
• Recommend improvements in assessment strategies

9.6 Quality Assurance

• Collect feedback from students, faculty, and stakeholders
• Analyze quality assurance reports and implement recommendations
• Ensure compliance with NMC standards and regulations

9.7 Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain records of curriculum implementation, modifications, and meetings
• Submit periodic reports to NMC as required
• Prepare annual curriculum report for management and regulatory authorities

10. MEETING PROCEDURES

• The Curriculum Committee shall meet at least once every four months (minimum three meetings per year).
• Additional meetings may be convened by the Chairman as and when required.
• The Member Secretary shall issue notice of meetings at least seven days in advance.
• Agenda and relevant documents shall be circulated with the meeting notice.
• Quorum for the meeting shall be five members including the Chairman or his nominee.
• Minutes of meetings shall be recorded by the Member Secretary and circulated within seven days.
• Decisions shall be taken by consensus or, if required, by majority vote.
• Phase coordinators and alignment team leads may be invited as special invitees.

11. CURRICULUM EVALUATION AND REVIEW

11.1 Annual Curriculum Review

• The Committee shall conduct comprehensive annual review of curriculum implementation.
• Review shall include analysis of student performance, faculty feedback, and stakeholder input.
• Recommendations for modifications shall be documented and forwarded to NMC if required.

11.2 Feedback Mechanisms

• Student feedback on teaching-learning activities shall be collected at the end of each module/posting.
• Faculty feedback on curriculum delivery challenges shall be obtained regularly.
• Exit feedback from graduating students shall be analyzed for curriculum improvement.

11.3 Continuous Quality Improvement

• The Committee shall implement quality improvement initiatives based on feedback and performance analysis.
• Best practices in medical education shall be incorporated into curriculum delivery.
• Innovations in teaching-learning methods shall be encouraged and supported.

12. COORDINATION WITH OTHER COMMITTEES

The Curriculum Committee shall coordinate with:

• Medical Education Unit (MEU): For faculty training and development programs
• Examination Committee: For assessment design and conduct
• Student Affairs Committee: For addressing student concerns related to curriculum
• Hospital Administration: For clinical training facilities and patient care integration
• Library Committee: For learning resources and reference materials
• Ethics Committee: For research and ethics training components

13. DUTIES OF THE INSTITUTION

The Management of Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital shall:

• Provide necessary infrastructure and facilities for curriculum implementation
• Ensure adequate faculty strength as per NMC norms
• Provide financial support for faculty development programs (BCME, CISP, ACME)
• Facilitate attendance of faculty in NMC-mandated training programs
• Provide administrative support to the Curriculum Committee
• Ensure timely availability of teaching-learning resources
• Support implementation of curriculum innovations and improvements
• Ensure compliance with all NMC regulations regarding curriculum
• Facilitate periodic review and updating of curriculum

14. ANNUAL REPORT

The Curriculum Committee shall prepare an annual report containing:

• Summary of curriculum implementation activities
• Details of timetable adherence and modifications
• Faculty development programs conducted and attendance
• Student performance analysis and competency achievement
• Curriculum innovations and improvements implemented
• Challenges faced and solutions adopted
• Feedback analysis and quality improvement initiatives
• Recommendations for future academic year

The annual report shall be submitted to the Management and NMC as required.

15. DISPLAY AND DISSEMINATION

• This Constitution and the details of the Curriculum Committee shall be displayed on the institution's notice boards and website.
• Information about committee composition, meeting schedules, and contact details shall be made easily accessible.
• Copies of this Constitution shall be made available to all faculty members and students.
• Curriculum-related information, timetables, and guidelines shall be regularly updated and communicated.

16. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended from time to time in accordance with changes in the regulations and guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission, Under Graduate Medical Education Board, or the Government of India.

Any amendments shall require approval from the Management and intimation to the Academic Cell, UGMEB, NMC.

17. EFFECTIVE DATE

This Constitution shall come into effect from the date of approval by the Management of Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital and notification to the National Medical Commission.