CBME — Competency-Based Medical Education — Curriculum 2024 is the National Medical Commission’s revised MBBS curriculum, notified on 12 September 2024 by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) and clarified on 10 October 2024. It defines what an Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) must be able to do at graduation, not just what they know — reflecting the shift from content-based to competency-based education that began in 2019 and matured into the present curriculum.
In short: CBME Curriculum 2024 structures MBBS as a 4.5-year programme across three phases, plus a one-year compulsory rotating internship. It defines five global IMG competencies: Clinician, Communicator, Leader and Team Member, Professional, and Lifelong Learner. Mandatory implementation components include the Foundation Course, AETCOM (longitudinal Attitude-Ethics-Communication), Early Clinical Exposure, Family Adoption Programme (3–5 families per student), Learner-Doctor Method (clinical clerkship in Phase III Part II), Alignment & Integration teaching, the new Pandemic Module, and simulation-based learning. Assessment requires 50% cumulative in University exams and 40% separately in theory and practical.
The five global competencies of an Indian Medical Graduate
CBME starts not with subjects but with outcomes — what the graduating Indian Medical Graduate must demonstrate. NMC defines five global competencies, often called the “five roles” of the IMG:
Clinician
Recognizes, diagnoses, and manages common health problems with empathy and skill
Communicator
Communicates effectively with patients, families, communities, and colleagues
Leader & Team Member
Functions effectively as both leader and team member in healthcare delivery
Professional
Demonstrates ethical practice, professionalism, accountability, and altruism
Lifelong Learner
Committed to continuous learning and professional development
Subject-wise competencies are derived from these five roles. For each MBBS subject, the curriculum specifies the competencies a student must demonstrate — with explicit linkage to which IMG role(s) the competency develops. This is structurally similar to how engineering education maps Course Outcomes to Program Outcomes for NBA, but with five medical-graduate roles in place of 11 engineering POs.
The 4.5-year MBBS programme: three phases
The MBBS programme runs for 4.5 years (54 months) followed by a one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI). The 4.5 years are divided into three phases:
| Phase | Duration | Subjects & Key Components |
|---|---|---|
| Phase I (First Professional) |
12 months (including 2-week Foundation Course and university exams) |
Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry. Foundation Course at start. Introduction to AETCOM. Early Clinical Exposure. Alignment & Integration teaching. Pandemic Module. Family Adoption Programme initiation. |
| Phase II (Second Professional) |
12 months | Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Community Medicine (with family visits), introductory clinical exposure to General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Continued AETCOM. Continued Family Adoption Programme. |
| Phase III Part I | 12 months | Clinical specialties begin in earnest. Continued AETCOM and Family Adoption Programme. Electives. University exams at end. |
| Phase III Part II | 18 months | Learner-Doctor Method (Clinical Clerkship) — the operational core of competency-based clinical assessment. Advanced clinical postings. Final professional examinations. |
| Total MBBS | 54 months (4.5 years) — followed by 12 months of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship | |
Subject-wise teaching hours, clinical posting schedules, and marks distribution for University Annual Examinations are specified in NMC’s CBME 2024 document. Phase I and Phase II have explicit alignment requirements between paired subjects (e.g. Anatomy ↔ Surgery, Physiology ↔ Medicine), with horizontal integration within phase and vertical integration across phases.
CBME 2024 implementation components
Beyond traditional subject teaching, CBME mandates several specific implementation elements. These are the elements that, when properly executed, distinguish a CBME-compliant medical college from one merely going through the motions.
Foundation Course
Two-week induction at the start of Phase I, designed to ease transition from school to medical college, build learning skills, introduce community-engagement readiness, professionalism, and basic clinical orientation.
Phase I 2 weeksAETCOM Module
Attitude, Ethics and Communication — a longitudinal programme spanning all phases with dedicated curricular time. AETCOM application-based questions must appear in all internal and university assessments — theory, practical, and clinical.
All phases LongitudinalEarly Clinical Exposure (ECE)
Introduced into the curriculum in 2019 and retained in CBME 2024. Brings clinical context into preclinical phases through patient interaction, hospital visits, and case-based learning — from Phase I onwards. Helps achieve horizontal and vertical integration.
From Phase IFamily Adoption Programme (FAP)
Each student adopts minimum 3 (preferably 5) families in a nearby village. Students follow these families longitudinally across phases, providing health education and basic services under supervision. Mandatory for batches from 2023–24 onwards.
Phase I onwards Mandatory 2023-24+Learner-Doctor Method (Clinical Clerkship)
Phase III Part II hands-on clinical training where students function as learner-doctors under supervision. Operational core of competency-based clinical assessment.
Phase III Part II 18 monthsAlignment & Integration (AIT) Teaching
Horizontal integration (across same-phase subjects, e.g. Anatomy with Physiology) and vertical integration (across phases, e.g. preclinical Physiology with clinical Medicine). Replaces siloed subject-wise teaching.
All phasesPandemic Module
Added in CBME 2024 in response to post-COVID learning. Integrated across phases to prepare graduates for public health emergencies, infectious disease outbreaks, and population-level response.
All phases New in 2024Simulation-Based Learning
Mandatory simulation-lab learning for procedural skills, emergency response, communication skills, and decision-making under stress. Required from Phase I.
All phasesElectives
Structured elective rotations in Phase III Part I — opportunity for students to explore specialty interests, research, or community-focused tracks.
Phase III Part ISelf-Directed Learning (SDL)
Dedicated time and credit for student-led learning — case studies, problem-solving exercises, log book entries, museum study. Develops the Lifelong Learner IMG competency.
All phasesAssessment under CBME 2024
CBME assessment has three layers — formative, internal, and summative — each playing a distinct role. A critical structural feature: internal assessment marks are NOT added to summative marks for pass/fail purposes, but absolute internal assessment marks are displayed separately on the detailed marks card.
| Assessment Layer | What it is | Counts toward passing? |
|---|---|---|
| Formative | Continuous feedback-oriented assessment throughout teaching — not graded for promotion | No (developmental purpose) |
| Internal Assessment (IA) | Day-to-day assessment based on assignments, seminars, case presentations, problem-solving exercises, community health projects, quizzes, certification of competencies, log books, museum study, SDL exercises. Out of 100 each for theory and for practical (with special structure for General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology where theory and practical are combined). | Displayed on marks card but NOT added to summative for pass/fail |
| Summative (University Annual Exam) | University-conducted theory and practical examinations at the end of each phase. Includes application-based questions covering Foundation Course, ECE, AETCOM, Integrated topics, and Learner-Doctor activities. | Yes — basis of pass/fail decision |
Passing criteria under CBME 2024
To pass a subject, a candidate must:
- Obtain a cumulative 50% marks in the University-conducted examination (theory and practical combined)
- AND obtain not less than 40% separately in Theory
- AND obtain not less than 40% separately in Practical
- For subjects with two theory papers (e.g. General Medicine, General Surgery): minimum 40% in aggregate across both papers
Viva voce and oral examination
The viva voce assesses the candidate’s approach to patient management, attitudinal, ethical, and professional values, and emergencies. Examiners assess skill in interpretation of common investigative data such as X-rays, ECG, specimens identification. AETCOM, Foundation Course, ECE, Integrated topics, and Learner-Doctor activities are assessed through application-based questions across theory, practical, and clinical components.
Medical Education Unit (MEU): the operational arm of CBME
NMC requires every medical college to have a Medical Education Unit — the faculty body that owns CBME implementation on the ground. The MEU is distinct from the Curriculum Committee, and NMC has explicitly flagged that using the same faculty for both MEU and Curriculum Committee defies guidelines and the purpose of faculty development.
| MEU Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Minimum size | 8 full-time faculty |
| Maximum size | 14 full-time faculty |
| Assistant Professor cap | Not exceeding 50% of total |
| MEU Coordinator: training | rBCW or BCME at allocated Nodal Centre (NC) / Regional Centre (RC); plus ACME or equivalent additional qualification |
| Equivalent additional qualifications | M.Med, MHPE, Diploma in Medical Education, FAIMER Fellowship, IFME Fellowship |
| Curriculum Committee members | All members including Principal/Dean must have undergone rBCW or BCME at allocated NC/RC; if not trained, must train within 6 months |
| Faculty overlap | NMC explicitly prohibits using the same faculty for MEU and Curriculum Committee |
NMC faculty training pathway for CBME
CBME implementation requires properly trained faculty. NMC has a structured pathway, delivered through Nodal Centres (NC) and Regional Centres (RC) across India:
| Programme | Full form | Target audience & purpose |
|---|---|---|
| rBCW | Revised Basic Course Workshop in Medical Education Technology | Foundational MET training. Required for all Curriculum Committee members and MEU members. |
| BCME | Basic Course in Medical Education | Equivalent foundational training in medical education technology. Required for all CC and MEU members. |
| ACME | Advance Course in Medical Education | Advanced training. Required for MEU Coordinators. Delivered at allocated NCs. |
| CISP I | Curriculum Implementation Support Programme — Phase I | For Preclinical department faculty. Sensitization to CBME for Phase I subjects. Started 2019. |
| CISP II | Curriculum Implementation Support Programme — Phase II | For Para-clinical teachers. Sensitization to CBME for Phase II subjects. Started 2021. |
| CISP III | Curriculum Implementation Support Programme — Phase III | For Clinical department faculties. Sensitization to CBME for Phase III subjects. |
| AETCOM training | AETCOM Facilitator Workshop | For faculty delivering AETCOM modules. Often delivered alongside or as part of BCME/ACME. |
| FAIMER Fellowship | Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research | External alternative qualification accepted by NMC for MEU Coordinator role. |
| IFME Fellowship | International Fellowship in Medical Education | External alternative qualification accepted by NMC for MEU Coordinator role. |
NC and RC standards: All resource faculty at Nodal Centres and Regional Centres must be Associate Professor or above. Resource faculty must hold one of the additional educational qualifications (ACME, M.Med, MHPE, Diploma in Medical Education, FAIMER, or IFME) and at least 5 years of experience in medical education.
Common gaps in CBME implementation — and how to close them
Across NMC inspections and informal post-mortems, several CBME implementation gaps recur. These are the gaps that lead to MARB rating downgrades, unfavourable LOP outcomes, and weak NAAC SSR evidence under Criterion 2:
- Same faculty in MEU and Curriculum Committee. NMC has explicitly flagged this as non-compliant. Many colleges do this for convenience; it undermines both bodies.
- AETCOM run as a checkbox rather than a longitudinal programme. AETCOM is supposed to be longitudinal across all phases with application-based questions in every assessment. Most colleges treat it as occasional standalone sessions, losing both NMC compliance and high-value NAAC SSR evidence.
- Family Adoption Programme without longitudinal tracking. Students adopt families on paper but don’t document longitudinal follow-up, health interventions, or outcome data. FAP becomes hard to defend at inspection and impossible to present as a NAAC Best Practice.
- Early Clinical Exposure as one-off hospital visits. ECE is supposed to be integrated into preclinical teaching with explicit horizontal/vertical alignment, not occasional ward tours.
- Learner-Doctor Method without log-book discipline. Clinical clerkship in Phase III Part II requires structured log books with competency-wise sign-offs. Loose record-keeping defeats the entire purpose of competency-based clinical assessment.
- MEU under-strength. Some colleges run an MEU with fewer than the mandated 8 faculty, or with Assistant Professors exceeding 50%. Both are clearly non-compliant.
- Faculty not trained at allocated NC/RC. Some Curriculum Committee members hold training certificates from non-allocated centres or unaccredited workshops. NMC’s guidelines explicitly require training at the allocated NC/RC.
- Alignment & Integration on paper only. Curriculum maps show integration; actual teaching schedules don’t reflect it. The deficit is visible in student log books and learner feedback.
Closing these gaps is what good CBME implementation work looks like — not adding events but operationalizing the curriculum the way NMC designed it. The same operational work also produces the strongest possible evidence for NAAC SSR Criterion 2 and the MARB framework’s “Curriculum Implementation” criterion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CBME Curriculum 2024?
The CBME (Competency-Based Medical Education) Curriculum 2024 is the National Medical Commission’s revised MBBS curriculum, notified on 12 September 2024 with additional clarification on 10 October 2024. It defines the competencies an Indian Medical Graduate must demonstrate at graduation, structured as a 4.5-year programme across three phases. The curriculum is competency-driven, integrates ethics through the AETCOM longitudinal programme, embeds community engagement through the Family Adoption Programme, and shifts from purely theoretical to skill-and-competency-based assessment.
How is the MBBS course structured under CBME 2024?
Under CBME 2024, MBBS is a 4.5-year programme followed by a one-year compulsory rotating internship. It is divided into three phases: Phase I (First Professional, 12 months including a 2-week Foundation Course and university exams) covering preclinical subjects; Phase II (Second Professional, 12 months) covering para-clinical subjects and introductory clinical exposure; Phase III (Third Professional, 30 months — Part I 12 months and Part II 18 months) covering clinical specialties and the Learner-Doctor Method clinical clerkship.
What are the five global competencies of an Indian Medical Graduate?
Per CBME, the Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) must demonstrate five global roles at graduation: (1) Clinician — able to recognize, diagnose, and manage common health problems; (2) Communicator — communicates effectively with patients, families, communities, colleagues; (3) Leader and Member of the Health Care Team — functions effectively as leader and team member; (4) Professional — demonstrates ethical practice, professionalism, and accountability; (5) Lifelong Learner — committed to continuous learning and professional development. These five roles drive subject-wise competency mapping across all phases.
What is the AETCOM module?
AETCOM stands for Attitude, Ethics and Communication. It is a longitudinal programme that runs across all three phases of MBBS, with dedicated curricular time. AETCOM develops professionalism, ethical decision-making, patient-centered communication, and inter-disciplinary teamwork. Application-based AETCOM questions must be included in internal assessments and university examinations across theory, practical, and clinical components.
What is the Family Adoption Programme (FAP)?
The Family Adoption Programme is a mandatory community-engagement element of CBME under which each MBBS student adopts a minimum of 3 (preferably 5) families in a nearby village. Students follow these families longitudinally across phases, providing health education and basic services under faculty supervision. FAP is mandatory for MBBS batches admitted from the 2023-24 academic year onwards. The programme is aligned with India’s primary care and rural health priorities.
What is the passing criterion under CBME 2024?
Under CBME 2024, a candidate must obtain a cumulative 50% in the University-conducted examination (theory plus practical combined) AND not less than 40% separately in theory and in practical to pass a subject. For subjects with two theory papers (e.g. General Medicine, General Surgery), the candidate must secure a minimum 40% in aggregate across both papers. Internal Assessment is shown as a separate column on the marks card but is NOT added to the summative assessment for pass/fail determination.
What is the Medical Education Unit (MEU) and why does NMC require it?
The Medical Education Unit is the faculty body within each medical college that owns CBME implementation — curriculum delivery, faculty development, AETCOM coordination, assessment quality, and continuous improvement. Per NMC’s Faculty Development Programme guidelines, the MEU must have a minimum 8 and maximum 14 full-time faculty members, with Assistant Professors not exceeding 50% of the total. The MEU Coordinator must have completed rBCW or BCME at the allocated Nodal or Regional Centre, plus ACME or an equivalent additional qualification such as M.Med, MHPE, Diploma in Medical Education, FAIMER Fellowship, or IFME. NMC has explicitly flagged the practice of using the same faculty for both MEU and Curriculum Committee as non-compliant.
What faculty training programmes does NMC require for CBME?
NMC has a structured faculty training pathway for CBME implementation: rBCW (revised Basic Course Workshop in Medical Education Technology), BCME (Basic Course in Medical Education), ACME (Advance Course in Medical Education), CISP I, II, and III (Curriculum Implementation Support Programme — for preclinical, para-clinical, and clinical faculty respectively), and AETCOM facilitator training. Training is delivered through NMC’s network of Nodal Centres (NC) and Regional Centres (RC) where resource faculty must be Associate Professor or above.
How does Edhitch support CBME implementation and documentation?
Edhitch helps medical colleges document CBME implementation in a way that simultaneously meets NMC compliance, feeds NAAC SSR evidence under the Unified Manual for Health Sciences Colleges, and populates NIRF Medical category data. Specifically: AETCOM session documentation that anchors NAAC Criteria 1, 2, 5, 6; Family Adoption Programme structuring as a NAAC Criterion 7 Best Practice; subject-wise competency mapping to the 5 IMG roles; MEU and Curriculum Committee compliance verification against NMC’s Faculty Development Programme guidelines; and integrated documentation that eliminates duplication between NMC and NAAC reporting.
For NMC’s official CBME documents, visit NMC Rules & Regulations.
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