Sodomy, Lesbianism as Sexual Offence Reintroduced in NMC's Medical Curriculum

The National Medical Commission has reintroduced ’sodomy and lesbianism’ as unnatural sexual offences in the forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate medical students.

It has also brought back topics such as the hymen and its type, and its medico-legal importance besides defining virginity and defloration, legitimacy and its medico-legal importance.

These subjects were done away with in 2022 in accordance with a Madras High Court directive.

The revised curriculum under forensic medicine and toxicology also includes “Describe 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, Inquest (Police Inquest and Magistrate’s Inquest), cognisable and Non-cognisable offences”.