This is a setback for scam-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI) and a solace to those who paid price while dealing with the mighty MCI. The President of India, on Wednesday, gave assent to Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. This will help implementation of dozens of fresh initiatives in medical administration which was in limbo due to unfavourable attitude of Medical Council of India. The Government introduced the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 in Lok Sabha on December 29, 2017. As the Bill is pending, all its major guidelines will come into force with immediate effect with the promulgation of Indian Medical Council Ordinance.

 

 The Ordinance will provide for simplification of procedures and is expected to spur rapid growth in the number of UG and PG seats in the country besides enhancing the governance and quality of medical education. It provides for distribution of functions among four autonomous boards whose members would be persons of proven ability selected through a transparent process.

 

The Government has appointed the Board of Governors in supersession of MCI. The Board members include persons of eminence in the medical field namely Dr. V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr. Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr. B N Gangadhar, Director, NIMHANS, Bangalore, Dr. Nikhil Tandon, Professor, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, AIIMS, New Delhi who were the members of second OC. Dr. S. Venkatesh, DGHS and Prof. Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR & Director General ICMR will be the ex-officio members.

 

All the BoG members are eminently qualified and apolitical. Further, five of the seven members were the members of the Supreme Court appointed Oversight Committee. It is expected that the BoG will bring about urgent and the much-required reforms in the field of medical education and promote access to quality healthcare for all the people of India.