NMC reintroduces 'lesbianism, sodomy' as unnatural offences in revised medical curriculum

By Shweta Kumari | First Published Sep 4, 2024, 5:25 PM IST

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sparked controversy with the reintroduction of several sensitive topics in the forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate medical students.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has sparked controversy with the reintroduction of several sensitive topics in the forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate medical students. This decision marks a significant shift in the curriculum six years after the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality by scrapping Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Among the reintroduced topics are references to "sodomy and lesbianism" classified as unnatural sexual offenses. The revised curriculum also covers a range of sexual behaviors, including fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia. Notably, distinctions between consensual sex among queer individuals have been excluded, according to sources from the Press Trust of India (PTI).

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The reintroduction of these topics comes after their removal in 2022 following a directive from the Madras High Court. This move is likely to stir debate, particularly in light of India's evolving legal and social stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

The updated curriculum does not stop at sexual offenses; it delves into medico-legal concepts surrounding virginity, defloration, and the hymen's various types, along with the legitimacy of children. These topics were previously removed due to their controversial nature, but they have now been reinstated.

In addition to these subjects, the curriculum has been expanded to include several legal frameworks, such as the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Students will also study civil and criminal cases, inquests, both police and magistrate-led, and the distinctions between cognisable and non-cognisable offenses.

One significant change in the curriculum is the removal of a seven-hour training module on disability. The focus has now shifted towards ensuring that students are well-versed in the medico-legal aspects of medical practice, including codes of conduct, medical ethics, professional misconduct, and medical negligence.

In its Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) Guidelines, 2024, the NMC justified the revisions, stating, "It was time to have a relook at all aspects of the various components in the existing regulations and guidelines, and adapt them to the changing demography, socio-economic context, perceptions, values, advancements in medical education, and expectations of stakeholders."

The commission emphasized that the goal of the undergraduate medical education program is to produce an "Indian Medical Graduate" (IMG) equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and ethical values to function as an effective first-contact physician in the community while also being globally competent.

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The guidelines stress that an IMG should be capable of performing the duties of a primary care physician, including promotive, preventative, rehabilitative, palliative care, and referral services. "To achieve this, the following national and institutional goals for the learner of the Indian Medical Graduate training program are hereby prescribed," the NMC stated.

The reintroduction of these topics is likely to provoke mixed reactions from various stakeholders, including medical professionals, educators, and LGBTQ+ rights advocates. While the NMC argues that the revisions are necessary to keep pace with changing societal and legal contexts, critics may see this as a regression, particularly concerning the exclusion of distinctions between consensual queer relationships.

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