04 September,2026 02:59 PM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar Menon
Forensic medicine departments also conduct or supervise medico-legal post-mortems. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK
MAHARASHTRA's decision to restructure faculty posts in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) departments across government medical colleges could have consequences extending beyond medical education, with specialists warning that reduced manpower may put additional pressure on doctors handling medico-legal autopsies and affect services ultimately relied upon by the common public.
The restructuring could also narrow government career opportunities for medical students pursuing postgraduate courses in forensic medicine, as the state has ordered the surrender of 26 posts while reducing the overall sanctioned strength by 19 posts.
The Medical Education and Drugs Department, through a Government Resolution dated August 31, 2026, has revised the sanctioned strength of FMT departments based primarily on National Medical Commission (NMC) norms and annual student intake. The government has described the exercise as rationalisation and redistribution of manpower.
Forensic medicine departments have a role that goes well beyond classroom teaching. Their faculty teach undergraduate and postgraduate students while also conducting or supervising medico-legal post-mortems (including custodial deaths), preparing medico-legal reports, and examining cases referred by police and investigating agencies. Specialists argue that the number of students in a medical college may not reflect the workload of its mortuary. An institution may have limited student strength but serve a large geographical area and handle a substantial number of unnatural, suspicious, custodial, and other medico-legal deaths.
A forensic surgeon,
âFaculty redistribution should be based on the actual workload of hospitals, including the number of medico-legal cases, patients, and post-mortems. NMC norms prescribe staffing for teaching requirements, while forensic departments also provide crucial services to the hospital, Home Department and judiciary. Major institutions such as BJ Medical College-Sassoon, Grant Medical College-JJ Hospital, and GMC Aurangabad handle a huge volume of patients and medico-legal cases. Any reduction of posts could adversely affect the quality and timely delivery of forensic services.'
The restructuring brings down the overall sanctioned FMT strength from 147 to 128 posts. While Professor posts have been increased by five, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor posts have been reduced by nine and 15, respectively. The government has simultaneously sanctioned seven additional posts at selected colleges, suggesting that the exercise is intended as redistribution rather than a uniform reduction across all institutions. However, 26 posts have been earmarked for surrender.
Specialists point out that the reduction in Associate Professor and Assistant Professor posts could reduce the number of government positions available for fresh recruitment as well as career progression. This could become significant for doctors completing postgraduate forensic medicine qualifications and looking towards government medical colleges for academic careers. The surrender of posts could have a long-term effect because a post that is surrendered after an incumbent retires or is relieved may no longer be available for fresh recruitment. The move could consequently affect the promotion ladder.
Unlike many other medical specialities, FMT departments are closely linked to the criminal justice system. Faculty members have to balance teaching, examinations, and research with medico-legal duties, including post-mortems and police cases. The Government Resolution focuses on academic staffing requirements under NMC norms but does not prescribe staffing based on the number of autopsies or medico-legal cases handled.
The workload at an autopsy centre also does not follow college teaching hours. Bodies may arrive at government mortuaries at any time following accidents, suspected suicides, homicides, custodial deaths and other medico-legal incidents. Forensic faculty may therefore be required to supervise or conduct examinations outside normal working hours.
The concerns are particularly significant at high-volume institutions such as JJ Hospital, where the forensic medicine department has around 25 postgraduate students, besides undergraduate and paramedical teaching responsibilities. Specialists point out that even if student numbers change, the number of bodies requiring medico-legal examination may not correspondingly decline. Faculty could therefore end up carrying a greater share of autopsy work while continuing to fulfil academic responsibilities.
The state has approved additional FMT posts at selected institutions, including a Professor at BJ Government Medical College (Pune), Associate Professor posts at government medical colleges in Dhule, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur, and Assistant Professor posts at Jalgaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. However, specialists say the impact will depend on where posts are reduced and where they are added. Redistribution that strengthens colleges with higher student intake may satisfy academic requirements but may not necessarily address the workload of major medico-legal centres.
Specialists want future manpower assessments to consider not only student intake but also annual autopsy numbers, police referrals, custodial deaths, night-time workload, geographical jurisdiction, availability of residents and supporting staff, and mortuary infrastructure.
