Today, On 19th September, The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking changes in the medical syllabus, with CJI BR Gavai firmly stating, “This is not our work. We cannot decide what syllabus should or shouldn’t be. Approach the university or government.”
New Delhi: The Supreme Court refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that had sought changes in the medical syllabus. The bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai made it clear that the court cannot take up the responsibility of deciding what should be taught in medical education.
During the hearing, CJI Gavai remarked,
“This is not our work. We cannot decide what syllabus should or shouldn’t be. Approach the university or govt.”
The court observed that syllabus-related issues fall within the domain of academic bodies and the government.
The justices underlined that such matters must be addressed by expert authorities and not decided through judicial intervention.
With this observation, the bench declined to entertain the petition.
However, it left the matter open for the petitioner to approach the appropriate authorities, such as the concerned universities or the government, if they still wish to pursue the issue.
In India, the medical syllabus is decided by expert bodies and not by the courts.
- National Medical Commission (NMC):
This is the regulatory body that replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2020. The NMC prepares the syllabus, curriculum, and standards for medical education across India. - Boards under NMC:
Different boards work under the NMC, like the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) and the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB). These boards specifically design and update the syllabus for MBBS, MD, MS and other medical courses. - Other Institutions:
Sometimes, inputs also come from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, universities, and medical colleges, but the final authority to approve and prescribe the syllabus rests with the NMC.