National Medical Commission Bill: Panacea For All Ills?

India’s medical education sector might see major changes when the NMC Bill which had lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha gets reintroduced. A renowned academic shares his perspective…

The National Medical Com-mission (NMC) Bill aims at addressing a number of con-cerns in medical education, provide strategies to address shortage of trained doctors and medical caregivers, and restructure the medical regulatory authority of the country, clearly defining jurisdiction and responsibilities. According to the government, when the NMC is established, it is ‘supposed to eliminate’ corruption in medical regulatory bodies. Despite these claims, the bill has drawn flak and protests from doctors across the country.

Replacing Medical Council of India (MCI)

The NMC Bill proposes to replace the MCI, which has been accused of corruption on many occasions, with a new regulatory body. According to the bill, the new regulatory body will be set up under the chairmanship of an individual nominated by the government and the members will be appointed by a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and doctors across the country fear that this will make the regulatory body a government controlled one instead of a democratically elected one. The needs of the people across the country will not be addressed if this comes to pass, they say.

Role for alternative medicine practitioners