The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which seeks to replace the 63-year-old Medical Council of India (MCI) to reform the medical sector in India, was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Bill, introduced by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, alsoseeks to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act 1956, stating that the Councilset up under it was corrupt. It has been alleged that the process by which theMCI regulated medical colleges was flawed.
The new Bill has the provision for making national standardsin medical education uniform by proposing that the final year MBBS exam betreated as an entrance test for PG and a screening test for students whograduated in medicine from foreign countries. This exam will be called theNational Exit Test (NEXT).
At present, different medical colleges have different MBBSexam patterns which means there is no surety of the quality of the medicalgraduate passing out of MBBS.
The NMC proposal is to ensure a uniform national pattern forfinal year MBBS exam so that all medical graduates who get the licence topractise conform to uniform national standards and quality.
The Bill also puts a cap on fees on 50 per cent of seats inMBBS and PG colleges.
The NMC will be 29-member body which would comprise of 20members selected through nomination, and nine through election.The medical will colleges have to conform tostandards the NMC will lay down. Once they conform and are permitted tooperate, there would be no need for annual renewals, the government believes.