Sodomy, lesbianism reintroduced as unnatural sex crimes in curriculum for medical students

The National Medical Commission reinstated the topics, having removed these in August 2022 following a directive from the Madras high court.

Published on: Sep 4, 2024, 17:04:03 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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The National Medical Commission (NMC), the country's apex medical education regulator, has reintroduced sodomy and lesbianism as unnatural sex offences in its revised curriculum for forensic medicine and toxicology for undergraduate students, PTI has reported.

A doctor's desk with a stethoscope. (Representative image)

The regulator has also reinstated topics such as the hymen and its types, its medico-legal importance, definition of virginity and defloration, its legitimacy and medico-legal importance.

Also Read | 'Change must take place...': Madras HC interim order on LGBTQIA community

These topics were removed from the curriculum in August 2022 following a directive from the Madras high court.

The revised curriculum under forensic and toxicology also includes description of 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, inquests (police and magistrate's), and cognisable and non-cognisable offences.

However, there was no place for the seven-hour course on disability.

The syllabus was revised as it was ‘time to have a relook at all aspects of the various components in the existing regulations and guidelines,’ NMC noted in its Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) Guidelines, 2024.

Also Read | Madras HC judge seeks session with psychologist to understand same-sex relationships

“The revision was done also to adapt to the changing demography, socio-economic context, perceptions, values, advancements in medical education, and expectations of stakeholders,” the commission added.

It also stated that the undergraduate medical programme was designed to create an ‘Indian Medical Graduate (IMG).’

“The IMG will possess requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and responsiveness, to function appropriately and effectively as physician of first contact of the community while being globally relevant,” NMC said in the document.

As per the document, such a physician should also have 'requisite skills for promotive, preventative, rehabilitative, palliative care and referral services.'

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