On Thursday, the National Medical Commission announced amended guidelines for its competency-based medical education curriculum, which removed sodomy and lesbianism as "unnatural sexual offences." Sexual perversions, fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, necrophagia, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia are also no longer subjects for discussion.

In addition, it has eliminated references to defloration and virginity, as well as hymen and its varieties and its medico-legal significance. The modified curriculum indicates that defining and discussing "signs" of virginity (sometimes known as "virginity tests," which include finger checks on female genitalia) is unscientific, inhumane, and discriminatory.

Virginity Test
Image Source: Medical Dialogues

It discusses educating students how to critique the courts on the unscientific premise of these examinations, if one is mandated. Sexual perversions, fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, necrophagia, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia are also no longer subjects for discussion.

Protests and Revisions on Virginity Test

The guidelines that the National Medical Commission (NMC) had removed in 2022 but reintroduced as "unnatural sexual offences" under the forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate medical students were withdrawn on September 5 in response to protests from activists. It had also reintroduced themes such as hymen and its kinds and its medico-legal importance in the guidelines announced on August 31.

According to a Madras High Court order from 2022, these subjects had been removed.
All of these subjects have now been dropped from the updated forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum. Educating students on the distinction between paraphilia and paraphilic disorder is yet another focus on the guidelines released on Thursday.

Emphasis on Legal Competencies

The updated guidelines also address teaching students about legal competencies related to forensic medicine and toxicology, such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, civil and criminal cases, police and magistraterial inquests, and cognisable and non-cognizable offences.

Virginity Test
Image Source: The Law Gurukul

According to the NMC's document, students who have completed forensic medicine and toxicology teaching and learning should be able to comprehend the medico-legal framework of medical practice, codes of conduct, medical ethics, professional misconduct, and medical negligence. They should also be able to conduct medico-legal examinations, document various medico-legal cases, and be aware of the most recent Acts and laws pertaining to medical professionals, including related court judgements.

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