Hindus for Human Rights urges India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) to reverse its decision to revise the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) Curriculum to include outdated, regressive, and discriminatory content. The revised curriculum would teach doctors to harm LGBTQ+ Indians and ruin the Indian healthcare sector’s global reputation.
The MBBS program in India is the primary undergraduate medical degree required to practice as a doctor. It is highly respected worldwide, with Indian-trained doctors often serving in critical roles in healthcare systems across the globe. For decades, India's medical education has been regarded for its rigorous standards, excellence in training, and its significant contributions to global health, particularly in underserved and remote areas. The changes introduced by the NMC, however, threaten to undermine this hard-earned reputation.
Problematic Revisions in the New Curriculum
The new MBBS curriculum includes the following regressive topics:
- Defining lesbianism and sodomy as "unnatural sexual offenses."
- Categorizing transvestism as "sexual perversion."
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Eliminating distinctions between consensual sex between queer individuals, adultery, and criminal acts such as incest and bestiality.
These changes come just six years after the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality by striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code—a landmark ruling that was hailed globally as a victory for human rights and LGBTQIA+ justice in India.
Additionally, the revised curriculum brings back archaic discussions about the hymen, its types, virginity, and "defloration"—all of which perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce violence and discrimination against women. This represents a significant step backward, reinstating notions that were largely abandoned in the medical community for being scientifically unsound, ethically indefensible, and socially harmful.
Implications for India's Medical Training and Global Standards
These changes are alarming not only for their discriminatory content but also for their potential impact on the global standing of India's medical training programs. For decades, Indian doctors have been recognized for their skill, dedication, and adherence to international medical standards. The new curriculum undermines these qualities, casting doubt on the competence and training of Indian medical professionals—particularly those who may now be perceived as lacking in understanding of human rights, gender sensitivity, and inclusive care.
The adoption of these regressive topics risks diminishing the trust that international patients, institutions, and regulatory bodies place in Indian-trained doctors. It could also jeopardize their ability to practice in other countries, where such discriminatory beliefs are considered incompatible with ethical medical practice. This erosion of confidence may lead to stricter scrutiny or even the rejection of Indian medical degrees in other parts of the world.
A Step Backward in Government Control Over Citizens' Bodies
This revision is not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader pattern where the Indian government is asserting greater control over citizens' bodies, lives, and choices. The rollback of progressive values in medical education is a direct attack on the hard-won rights of marginalized communities and a blatant attempt to reinforce state control over the most personal aspects of human existence, from gender identity to sexual orientation.
Such actions not only infringe on individual freedoms but also violate India's own laws. The new curriculum directly contradicts the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act (2019), both of which were designed to protect vulnerable populations from precisely the kind of discrimination and stigmatization these changes promote.
Call for Global Action and Solidarity
We call on the international community, human rights organizations, and global medical institutions to join us in condemning this regressive move by the Indian government. It is crucial to hold accountable those responsible for this violation of human rights and to advocate for the immediate reversal of these dangerous changes to the medical curriculum.
We also urge international medical councils, including those in countries where Indian doctors are employed or trained, to take note of these troubling developments and to engage in dialogue with their Indian counterparts to ensure that the standards of medical education are upheld in line with global human rights norms and best practices.
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