NEW DELHI: Medical colleges across the country will now decide faculty appointments and promotions on their own, with the National Medical Commission (NMC) ending routine eligibility clearances. Only exceptional cases involving regulatory ambiguity will be taken up by the regulator for a fee of Rs 25,000 plus GST.The decision comes after it was observed that a large number of requests from faculty members, medical colleges, universities and NBEMS-accredited hospitals were being referred to it despite the Medical Institutions (Qualifications of Faculty) Regulations, 2025, clearly laying down the qualifications, teaching experience, research publication and training requirements for teaching posts. Officials said the responsibility for deciding whether a candidate is eligible for appointment, promotion or designation rests with the appointing authority, medical institution or university concerned. The Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) will no longer entertain cases where eligibility can be decided directly under the regulations. Individuals may approach NMC directly only if their institution fails to forward a genuine case within 60 days. “Many candidates approached NMC even in straightforward cases because an NMC eligibility certificate was rarely questioned,” said Medical Assessment and Rating Board president Prof M K Ramesh.NMC has also introduced a review mechanism for applicants dissatisfied with an institution’s decision. They can seek a review within 30 days. The changes are aimed at improving institutional accountability, reducing unnecessary referrals and litigation and allowing it to focus on complex cases.