There will be no provision for a bridge course for AYUSH doctors to practice modern medicine in the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, according to a cabinet decision on Wednesday.
The provision had become a major bone of contention among the different sections of the medical fraternity such as the Indian Medical Association, who argued that allowing for a bridge course for AYUSH professionals would only legitimise "quackery".
The cabinet has also approved an amendment pertaining to strict action against quacks and untrained medical professionals.
Other amendments include fee regulation for 50 per cent of seats in private medical institutions and deemed universities. The final year examination for MBBS students will now be a common exam across the country and serve as an exit exam, according to the cabinet decision.
These amendments to the NMC Bill, 2017, are based on the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee that submitted its report last week. The committee was set up in the wake of opposition from sections of medical fraternity and members of Parliament, after the bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December.
In its report on the bill, the committee made several recommendations on the contentious clauses. It said the bridge course may not be made compulsory and that healthcare professionals practicing without the “requisite qualifications” may attract “penal provisions”. However, taking into account the government's reason for recommending the bridge course—to address a severe shortage of doctors in rural areas—the panel recommended that state governments “may implement measures” to enhance the capacity of the existing healthcare professionals including AYUSH practitioners, B.Sc (Nursing), BDS, and B.Pharma.
On the clause for having a National Licentiate Exam, which was opposed by doctors and students of medicine, the panel had instead recommended a common exit test for MBBS doctors, as an instrument of "quality assurance". "The Licentiate examination should be integrated with the final year MBBS examination and be conducted at the state level", said the report. The final MBBS examination should be of a "common pattern within a particular state, initially due to the logistical constraints, and could be extended across the country".
In line with the report that said there should be increased representation of states/union territories, the cabinet had increased their membership from three members to six.