National Medical Commission Bill passed by Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha on Monday passed the National Medical Commission Bill for replacing the corruption-plagued MCI with a new body, in what was described by the government as one of the biggest reforms that will end ‘inspector raj’ in the medical education sector.

The bill that seeks to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act 1956 was passed by a voice vote, amid a walkout by opposition Congress, DMK and Trinamool Congress.

The bill also has a provision for making national standards in medical education uniform by proposing that the final year MBBS exam be treated as an entrance test for PG and a screening test for students who graduate in medicine from foreign countries.

This exam, called the National Exit Test (NEXT), would ensure that the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) moves away from a system of repeated inspections of infrastructure and focuses on outcomes rather than processes, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.

Opposition members objected to provisions like exit exam and replacing elected members with nominated members in the proposed commission. They alleged that the legislation was against the spirit of federalism.

It is like “throwing the baby with the bathwater… the cure seems to be worst than the disease,” Congress’

Manish Tewari said during the debate and claimed the bill would end up legalising capitation fee.

However, Vardhan allayed the apprehensions saying the legislation is “anti-vested interests”, will help end ‘inspector raj’ and increase the number of seats in medical colleges.

“NMC will be lean and effective,” Vardhan said in his reply.

He assured the members that genuine concerns of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has been protesting against the Bill, have been addressed.

A motion for consideration of the bill was passed by 260-48 votes after a division of votes was sought.

Several amendments moved by opposition members, including Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and RSP’s N K Premachandran, were rejected.

“Since the government is not keen on passing any amendment suggested by us, we are walking out as we oppose it tooth and nail,” the Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said as the Bill was passed by voice vote.