Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018

Why in news?

The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 was issued recently, dissolving the Medical Council of India (MCI).

What is the ordinance for?

• It amends the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 which set up the MCI that regulates medical education and practice.
• The Ordinance provides for the supersession of the MCI for a period of one year.
• In the interim period, the central government will constitute a 7-member Board of Governors (BoG).
• The powers of the Council have been vested in the BoG led by NITI Aayog Member Dr. V.K. Paul.
• The BoG will continue to perform till an alternative comes into place as per the legal provisions in one year time.

How did it evolve?

• Parliamentary Committee - There were some serious concerns with the functioning of the MCI.
• A 2016 Parliamentary Standing committee report noted that mere incremental alterations to MCI would not give the expected results.
• Supreme Court - In May 2016, the Supreme Court had set up a three-member oversight committee.
• With one year tenure, the committee, headed by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, was to guide the MCI in its functioning.
• The Lodha oversight committee, at the end of its term, submitted a report.
• It detailed how the MCI openly defied the oversight committee’s directives.
• Despite this, the Centre, instead of scrapping the MCI, in July 2017, proposed setting up a new oversight committee to the SC.
• In July 2018, this oversight committee members resigned, citing noncompliance of their instructions by the MCI.
• Bill - The government introduced the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, in the Lok Sabha, in December, 2017.
• This Bill, to replace the MCI with a National Medical Commission, is pending in Parliament.
• Given all these, the government is now forced to issue the ordinance.

What next?

• The BoG is likely to make the much-required reforms in the field of medical education and promote access to quality healthcare.
• The government must now move urgently on bringing the NMC Bill.
• There are some concerns with the Bill in its current form despite amendments to accommodate some of them
• It is essential that the government address these concerns.

Source: PRS India, The Hindu, Financial Express