National Medical Commission takes charge, Medical Council of India abolished
Sep 25, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 25 : In a historic reform in the field of medical education, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has been constituted to function as the top medical education regulator, along with four Autonomous Boards. Meanwhile, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has been abolished.
Four Autonomous Boards of Under-Graduate Medical Education Board, Post-Graduate Medical Education Board, Medical Assessment and Rating Board, and Ethics and Medical Registration Board have also been constituted to help the NMC in its day-to-day functioning.
"This historic reform will steer medical education towards a transparent, qualitative, and accountable system. The basic change that has happened is that the regulator is now 'selected' on merits, as opposed to an 'elected' regulator. Men and women with impeccable integrity, professionalism, experience, and stature have been now placed at the helm to steer the medical education reforms further," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement on Friday.
According to the statement, the notifications in this regard were issued late on September 24.
Dr. SC Sharma, retired professor, ENT, AIIMS, Delhi, has been selected as the Chairperson for a period of three years. Besides the Chairperson, NMC will have 10 ex-officio members that include Presidents of the four Autonomous Boards, Dr. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr. Rajendra A Badwe, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and Dr. SurekhaKishore, Executive Director, AIIMS, Gorakhpur.
"In addition, NMC will have 10 nominees from Vice-Chancellors of Health Universities from States and Union Territories, nine nominees from State Medical Councils, and three expert members from diverse professions," the statement said.
Dr. SmitaKolhe, a renowned social worker working in the tribal Melaghat area of Maharashtra and Santosh Kumar Kraleti, CEO, Foot Soldiers for Health Pvt Ltd, has been nominated as these expert members. Dr. RK Vats will head the Secretariat as Secretary of the NMC.
"The NMC will carry forward the reforms initiated by the Board of Governors under Dr VK Paul. Already, the number of MBBS seats has increased over the last six years by 48 per cent from around 54,000 in 2014 to 80,000 in 2020. The PG seats have increased by 79 per cent from 24,000 to 54,000 in the same duration," the statement said.
"The key functions of the NMC will be further streamlining regulations, rating of institutions, HR assessment, focus on research. Besides they will work on modalities of the common final year exam after MBBS (NEXT- National Exit Test) to serve for both registration and PG entrance; prepare guidelines for fee regulation by private medical colleges, and developing standards for Community Health Providers to serve in primary healthcare with limited practicing licence," it added.
The National Medical Commission Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament in August 2019.
"With the coming into effect of the NMC Act from September 25, 2020, the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 stands repealed and the Board of Governors appointed in supersession of the Medical Council of India has also been dissolved with effect from the said date," the Ministry said.
