Cabinet approves setting up of National Medical Commission replacing MCI
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 which provides for setting up of a National Medical Commission in place of Medical Council of India (MCI) so as to usher comprehensive reforms in the medical education sector. The Bill also seeks to repeal Indian Medical Council Act 1956.
Key Features of Bill
Common final year MBBS Exams (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) will be known as National Exit Test (NEXT) which would serve as Licentiate Exam, for entrance to Post Graduate (PG) medical course and as screening test of foreign medical graduates.
It provides that National Entrance Test i.e. NEET, Common Counselling, NEXT will also be applicable to Institutes of National Importance (INIs) such as AIIMS to have common standards in country.
National Medical Commission: NMC, an autonomous commission will regulate fee and all other charges for 50% seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.
NMC will ensure a transparent admission process and also reduce admission fee, and regulate fee in private colleges as well.
NMC will have 4 Autonomous Boards,
- Under-Graduate Medical Education Board
- Post-Graduate Medical Education Board
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board
NMC and respective boards will work towards ensuring a dynamic and modern educational environment, decreasing emphasis on physical infrastructure, achieving norms in global standards and an effective grievance redressal mechanism.
Significance: These new measures will ensure a transparent admission process and will also bring down admission fee.
Criticism: NMC Bill is being pushed by Centre amid resistance from Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other sections. The Bill has been facing flak over various issues and IMA, the apex medical body has claimed that replacing MCI with another body may attract new forms of corruption.
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Month: Current Affairs - July, 2019