FAQS

The Purpose of Assessment:

The assessment should be carried out systematically for comprehensive review of adequacy and quality of
infrastructure, clinical case load, operational systems, teaching facilities, faculty, and staff of medical
colleges. It should not be majorly fault finding but should be direct observation about the facts regarding the
infrastructure, clinical load, staff, laboratory backup, investigations, quality of medical education. It should be
more interactive which students and faculty and should not be only inspectorate. At all levels of assessment
dignity of a person should be maintained.
At any point of time if the assessor faces any challenge or any query, even after reading the guidelines and
MSR, should contact MARB, NMC. If safety & security of the assessor is in question or in anticipation police
authority may be contacted, if unable to reach to MARB, NMC.

PRE-ASSESSMENT PHASE

Q1. How will the assessors be selected?

Ans. A Robust Randomization Software will be used for assessor selection considering the following: -
1. The assessors will not be from within the state for the transparent assessment process.
2. Only Government medical college assessors of Professor level or Associate Professor level having
10 years of faculty experience with at least four years of experience as Associate Professor are
eligible for conducting the assessment.
3. The assessor should not be working in the same medical college or have any close relatives working
or studying in that medical college. The assessor should also not be an alumnus of that medical
college.
4. The entire pool of assessors will be finalized by the Joint Committee MARB.
5. They should have undergone assessment training by NMC at least in last three years.

Q2. What can be the consequences of repeated denial from the assessor?

Ans. Assessors will be permanently debarred from future assessments in case if he denies or cancels
assessment for consecutively thrice or communicate valid reason to MARB via mail.

Q3. Will the assessor be allowed to go for the assessment on a short notice and will the duration of
absence be considered as “on duty”?

Ans: It should be considered on duty/ leave permitted by authority.

Q4. Should the assessor submit leave application in his/her institute, mentioning the purpose and
place of assignment?
Ans: Yes

Q5- When will the assessor get information regarding assessment?

Ans:

I. MARB will communicate (Through Automated Generated Communication System) to the assessors
about the district and hotel city 48 hours before the assessment date through email.
II. For the travel arrangement assessor will have to contact the travel desk of NMC or Authorized travel
agency communicated in the mail.
III. Acknowledgement mail from the assessor is not required as the date of availability of assessors is
taken in advance and assessment is planned on available dates.
IV. The name of medical college will be disclosed to the assessors on the day of assessment.

Q.6- Who will manage the travel and logistics for the assessment?

Ans: Authorized travel agency will manage the travel and logistics for the assessment. The assessors are not
allowed to book their tickets through any other agency or source, unless specifically permitted by the MARB.
(*For more details refer to Travel Policy – Assessors)

Q7. How many assessors will be allocated for UG and PG assessment?

Ans: For UG course, assessment will be conducted for one day by a team of 5 assessors (In case of non-
availability of 5 assessors, MARB may allow inspection to be conducted by at least 3 assessors). For PG
courses, assessment will be conducted for one day by a team of 2 assessors per specialty (In case of non-
availability of two assessor per specialty for PG course, MARB may allow inspection to be conducted by one
assessor).

Q8. Who will be the Team coordinator?

Ans: The senior most assessor will be the team coordinator/as decided by the NMC.

Q.9: What will be the duration for UG and PG assessment process?

Ans: Both UG and PG assessments will be scheduled for one day, from 9am to 6pm.

Q10. What preparation is required by the assessors before taking up the assignment?

Ans: Assessor should be well versed with the assessment process. Assessor must go through all the
documents regarding assessment - latest MSR 2023, MARB guidelines, TEQ guidelines, Assessor
guidelines, SAF forms AI, AII and AIII, Power Point Presentation on assessor training etc. available on
NMC website.
Assessors are advised to attend the training sessions organized by NMC regarding the assessment process.
Assessor should visit the college website before the assessment and check the checklist.

Q11. What all Documents to be taken by the assessors?

Ans: SAF AII/ AIII, Annexures 1-10 of Assessor Guidelines, TA/DA forms., copy of email addressed to the
college.

The assessor should maintain the secrecy about the assessment.

ASSESSMENT PHASE

Q1. How will the travel to the medical college be managed on the day of assessment?

Ans: Assessors will be staying at a hotel near airport from where they may have to travel 100-150 kms,
hence they will have to start early. Vehicle will reach at the hotel for pick up at 5:00 am. Assessor will be
provided with dry box breakfast by the hotel.

Q2. What will be the roles of the Team coordinator and the individual assessors?

Ans: Kindly refer to Assessor Guidelines.

Q3. Should the college authorities be guided to make special arrangements for the assessment
process and stall the routine activities of the hospital?

Ans: No, the normal / routine functioning of the institution should not be disturbed. Patient safety, privacy,
and treatment are utmost priority, should not be hampered during the time of assessment.

Q4. Which MSR guidelines to be followed for assessment?

Ans: For all kinds of assessments, the latest MSR guidelines have to be followed as available on the NMC
website.

Q5. Which SAF form will the assessors fill during assessment?

Ans: SAF AII for regular assessment and SAF AIII for compliance assessment. Assessor must mention the
type of assessment correctly on the first page of SAF and also cross verify with the type of application.
Q6. How should the work between assessors be divided?

Ans: Kindly refer to Assessor guidelines.

Q7. Should the assessors accept the clinical data provided by the institution?

Ans: No, the assessors should cross check the data provided by the college with their own observations
during physical rounds, by verifying the documented records and interacting with staff and patients.

Q8. Is videography/ photography essential during the assessment?

Ans: Yes, Videography of assessment is mandatory, to be arranged by the college. It should be supervised
by the assessors. In case videography is not arranged by the institute the assessors have to take photos and
videos from their mobile cameras. It should be submitted along with the assessment report on the link
provided by NMC.

Q9. How to check and validate faculty attendance?

Ans:

• Attendance will be verified through AEBAS data.

• Attach the list of faculties who are on maternity leave, childcare leave, medical leave, conference
leave etc. Proof of their PRIOR SANCTIONED leave, conference registration, air/ train ticket,
boarding pass etc. to be attached.

Q10. How to assess the faculty deficiency?

Ans:

• Collect the AEBAS data from the college website, opening it in the college.
• For calculating the faculty deficiency horizontal and vertical faculty distribution to be counted
separately as per the page no 42 of new MSR 2023

Q11. If the assessment is done for UG course and the department is also running PG course, how
should the infrastructure, number of beds and faculty requirement be calculated?

Ans: The PG compliment must be added if PG Course is running in a particular department. For UG & PG
assessment latest available MSR over the NMC portal should be referred. In UG /PG application common
information should be same and should ensure to cross verify.

Q12. For calculating the faculty requirement, can the senior ranks compensate for junior ranks?
Ans: Excess of Professor and Associate/Assistant Professors can be counted towards deficiency of
Associate Professor and Assistant Professor respectively but not vice versa. Excess of teaching faculty
cannot be counted against the deficiency of Senior/Junior Resident doctors and Tutors/Demonstrators.

It should be noted that as per the new MSR’s for new colleges & increase of seats, tutors will not be counted
as a part of the faculty compliment and therefore the tutor deficiency cannot be compensated by the higher
designation.

Q13. For assessment of quality of education, feedback from how many students should be taken?

Ans: Feedback from randomly selected minimum 5 students of each batch. Equal number of distributions
should be considered for all genders.

Q14. Should the assessor guide/ provide consultancy to the institute under evaluation?

Ans: No, the assessor must not provide/offer to provide consultancy at any time to the assessed organization
either during the assessment process or later. Note that if at any stage assessors are found guilty, the
assessors shall be debarred by NMC from panel of assessors/assessor’s bank.

Q15. Should the assessor accept any kind of favor from the institute under evaluation?

Ans: No, the assessor must not accept any transportation, hospitality, or gift in any form from medical college
authorities or anybody who relates to the medical college. Note that if at any stage assessors are found to
have accepted, the assessment report sent by them would be treated as cancelled and invalid and the
assessors shall be debarred by NMC from panel of assessors/assessor’s bank.

Q16. Can the assessment process get extended?

Ans: Inspection beyond one day should be discouraged however, it can be extended in exceptional case
(only on account of force majeure) with the written permission of MARB. In case the inspection is extended
beyond one day the link for submission of forms and reports must be activated on second day (maximum up
to 12pm). The MARB shall record reasons for allowing such extension.

Q17. Can the assessor leave when his part of assessment is over?

Ans: No, all assessors must stay till the entire assessment is over and the final report is submitted to NMC.

REPORTING PHASE:

Q1. Who will compile the report?

Ans: All columns in the assessment form should be duly filled. The final report should be jointly prepared and
signed by all assessors. No unsigned / blank pages to be submitted.

Q2. What all documents need to be submitted?

Ans: Please refer to the annexure 11 (Checklist to be verified checklist to be verified or carried at the
assessment and submitted at the time of report) of Assessor Guidelines.

Q3 How and by what time to submit the reports and documents?

Ans: A hard copy of the assessment report, signed on all pages by all assessors & the
Dean/Principal/Director of the Institute, containing the name of the assessors, should be submitted in a
sealed envelope to the NMC within 24 working hours of completion of the assessment. The soft copy of
report should be uploaded on the links provided by NMC within the given time frame as per the Assessor
guidelines.

Q4. Should the assessor make recommendations in the SAF?

Ans: No, the confidential remarks / recommendation should be added on a separate page which should not
be signed by the Dean/Principal/Director. All statements must be justified by creating adequate evidence.
Assessor should only write observations on the SAF form with evidence.

Q5. What to do in case the Dean/Principal/Director does not agree to assessor’s report?

Ans: In such a case, the Dean/Principal/Director should be asked to state the objections and then be asked
to sign. If he/she still refuses, it should be recorded by all assessors jointly and signed. The Dean may write,
sign, and stamp a dissent note with his comments on the assessor’s form itself.

Q6. What if the assessor observes any instance of misbehavior or commission of an act not befitting
the dignity of the NMC or cheating/fraud by the college under evaluation?

Ans: The Assessors should report any instance of misbehavior or any instance of doubtful integrity/ cheating
/ fraud to NMC. The coordinator has the right to call off the assessment after informing the Medical
Assessment & Rating Board (MARB) or the helpline number provided by the MARB or seek police protection
in case of undue stress, obscene behavior, or threats.

Q7. What is the process to claim TA/ DA?

Ans: The assessors are required to submit their boarding passes, tickets, receipts, and other relevant
documents along with their TA/DA bills to MARB at the earliest after completion of assessment. The
assessors are responsible for booking their own taxi for airport pick and drop from home and the same will
be reimbursed on submission of the bills (to be submitted within a week)
(*For more details refer to Travel Policy – Assessors)
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