NMC BILL: The Pros And Cons

Finally, a post after a long time!. While the PNB scam has stolen the limelight, let me finish this old draft and then move on to the latest topics:)

On Dec 29, 2017, the Modi govt again presented a controversial bill in the Parliament. A New Year gift to doctors, maybe.
The NMC or National medical commission seeks to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and form a medical commission in place of the incumbent Medical council of India.
Well, the current state Medical Council of  India is abysmal, its image being haunted by corruption in top MCI officials. 

At present, the bill is with the Parliamentary Standing Committee as more than 2 lakh doctors went on a nationwide strike on 2nd Jan, 2018. 

You can find the bill here

Main Highlights of the bill:

• The bill allows the practitioners of  AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) to practice Allopathy after clearing a 'bridge course'

• The MCI would be replaced by the National Medical Commission and some of its members would be appointed by the Central government.

• Establishment of  a Medical adversary council, through which the states/union territories, can put forth their views and concerns before the NMC.

• The commission will regulate policies regarding medical colleges, examination, and fees up to 40% seats in the medical colleges.

• There will be a uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to undergraduate medical education in all-medical institutions regulated by the Bill

Going by the above picture, now there would be two exams!. One for the college admission and other for the license.


Some facts before we reach to any conclusion:

• India has less than one doctor for every 1,000 citizens, which is less than the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard that prescribes a doctor-population ratio of 1:1,000                             .

• The MCI was dissolved by the President of India on 15 May 2010 following the arrest of MCI's president Ketan Desai by the CBI on 22 April 2010.                                                                                                            

• The council was revamped in 2013 

So, India has a doctor shortage? YES!. But this does not mean that Non-allopathy should doctors be allowed to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course. They don't have the knowledge, training imparted during the MBBS programme. I am not into the medical stream, so I may be wrong here but this is something common sense.

 "The NMC Bill in the present form is not acceptable. This is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar said.

As you would know, seats in medical colleges can be purchased, without clearing the exam!. Sure this is illegal but, it is a trend. Now after the bill passes, the 40% seat fees provision would legalize paid seats for the rest. I don't know, but our current govt loves to legalize corruption. 

There is a poor representation of doctors in the NMC (only 5 out of 25), over-powering doctor's voice. License Raj is coming!.

Foreign students can be made eligible for a doctor's license without giving the exam. WTF!

The objective of setting a new commission to replace a corrupted one is good, but its present form does more harm than good. Let's hope, the standing committee finds the right path and clears some air from these ambiguities. Anyway, 2019 elections are coming, think deeper and vote carefully. Analyse Pros and Cons of both the Parties and then decide your country's fate. With most of the people in our Politics filled with illiteracy and criminal cases, it is us, who stand to lose and only we can help our country to get it back on track.