The National Medical Commission has decided to withdraw its latest Competency Based Medical Education curriculum (CBME guidelines) released on August 31, 2024. The commission released an official statement regarding the withdrawal. The statement also mentioned that the revised guidelines will be uploaded in due time. The guideline included several controversial topics, like sodomy and lesbianism as unnatural sexual offences.

"It is informed that the circular of even number dated 31.08.2024, thereby issuing Guidelines under Competency Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) 2024, stands “WITHDRAWN AND CANCELLED” with immediate effect. The above guidelines will be revised and uploaded in due course. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority." The official statement read.

According to PTI's report, the guideline reintroduced several controversial topics that were removed from the curriculum concerning the Madras High Court directive. Topics like hymen and its type and its medico-legal importance, in addition to defining virginity and defloration, legitimacy, and its medico-legal importance, were reinstated.

CBME guidelines
Image Source: Medical Dialogues

Guidelines for forensic medicine and toxicology

Reportedly, the revised curriculum under forensic medicine and toxicology includes "Describe legal competencies including Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)," besides "Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), Civil and Criminal Cases, Inquest (Police Inquest and Magistrate's Inquest), and cognisable and non-cognisable offences.".

The new curriculum features discussions of sexual perversions, fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, necrophagia, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia.

The NMC aims to incorporate medico-legal knowledge through this teaching framework. A document states that teachings in forensic medicine and toxicology must include laws related to medical professionals and court judgements.

Criticism

Controversial topics like ‘lesbianism’ and ' sodomy’ as unnatural sexual offences garnered a mass outrage from transgender and disability rights groups. They called it “outright ableist, transphobic.”.

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