The draft of restructured medico-legal curriculum for MBBS course in the country was released at a national workshop in Bangalore on Friday by B P Dubey, executive member of the Medical Council of India.

Chief guest, Commissioner of Police, N M Achutha Rao said the changed curriculum may equip the medical graduates with new skills to deal with new-age crimes.

Drafted by an expert panel comprising forensic medicine specialists, lawyers, judges, legal officers from Karnataka and students, house surgeons, medical officer and the forensic medicine department of Bangalore Medical College, the draft curriculum is contextually relevant, futuristic, practically-oriented and has a social dimension.

It was initiated by Swami Vivekananada Youth Movement (SVYM), Mysore, after they realised that for the successful functioning of the criminal justice system in India, the forensic medicine doctors should be able to deal with the medico-legal cases.

“They are the first and vital source of information since they are the ones who attend to the victim. They should be trained in handling the medico-legal cases and providing accurate information to the court,” said President, SYVM, R Balasubramaniam.

SVYM was supported in its initiative by the Ministry of Justice, Government of India and the UNDP.

“SVYM trained 750 doctors in Karnataka and 100 in Rajasthan, in humane management of victims of violence against women. At the end of the training, the doctors felt that they had much better knowledge of the medico-legal system,” said Additional Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Government of India, Rajiv Agarwal.