Union Cabinet passes National Medical Commission bill

The Union Cabinet cleared the National Medical Commission (NMC) bill on Friday. The enactment of the bill will be commenced soon.

The bill aims to reduce red tape in medical education and incorporate the government’s role in fixing fees in up to 40 per cent of seats in private medical colleges.

The bill seeks to replace the existing medical education regulator, Medical Council of India (MCI), with a new body to increase transparency in corruption cases regarded to medical colleges.

While private medical colleges still have the authority to decide the fees for the majority of seats, 40 per cent of seats will be decided by the NMC. It will relieve the applicants from overpriced fees.

A four-member committee, headed by Niti Aayog vice-chairman, had drafted the NMC bill which proposed a common entrance exam and certified professional exam that all medical graduates will have to clear, officials said.

The exit exam will be treated as an entrance exam for post-graduate courses. The multiplicity of exam will end with NEET for MBBS courses and the exit exams.

After several complaints against the MCI and its top officials, the bill was finally passed. The new commission will have four boards, each one for Undergraduate and PG medical education, Medical assessment and rating, and ethics and medical registration.

No permission will be needed to add seats or start PG courses as per the provisions of the bill. There will be fewer elected members in the commission.

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Under the MCI Act of 1956, medical colleges needed permission to be set up or established, for renewal or increase in intake. The NMC bill takes it down to establishment and recognition. There will be no need of annual renewal.

The MCI has been accused of being cloudy in its accreditation process.