The Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) with support from United Nations Development Programme and Ministry of Justice, Government of India has taken up the restructuring of the medico-legal curriculum (forensic medicine and toxicology for MBBS).

The SVYM is holding a national workshop in this regard on Friday in Bangalore. Former chief justice of India and chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Justice M N Venkatachaliah will preside over the workshop. “Justice Venkatachalaiah is also the chairperson of the expert and national technical review panel incharge of drafting the new curriculum,” said Secretary, SYVM, M A Balasubramanya while speaking to reporters in Banagalore on Thursday. He said that the curriculum was last revised in 1997 and has not kept pace with the scientific progress achieved in the field of medical jurisprudence.

“The subject has also not received the required attention from teaching and student community. The present course design provides limited opportunity for understanding the importance of this curriculum in actual practice of medicine and also for honing up one’s skills,” he added.

Dr Balasubramanya said that the new curriculum has incorporated all the latest developments in the subject. “Not only has the content been revised, but the focus is also on how it is taught in the class room. A lot of emphasis is given on experiential learning, field visits, practical demonstration and the ‘case study’ method of learning. For the first time, a social dimension has been added to forensic studies,” he added.

Department of Forensic Medicines, Bangalore Medical College has been involved in the curriculum development.