LS-2NDLD MEDICAL BILL

National Medical Commission Bill passed by Lok Sabha
    New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) Lok Sabha on Monday passed the
National Medical Commission Bill for replacing the
corruption-plagued MCI with a new body, in what has been
described by the government as one of the biggest reforms that
will end 'inspector raj' in the medical education sector.
    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 to focus 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 genuine
concerns over the Bill have been addressed. He said 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.
    He termed the legislation as "pro-poor" saying it would
bring not only government seats but also 50 per cent of all
private seats within the reach of meritorious students
belonging to economically weaker sections.
    The bill seeks to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act
1956 in the wake of allegations of corruption against the 63-
year-old Medical Council of India (MCI) and shortcomings in
the process by which it regulated medical colleges.
    The Minister of Health and Family Welfare sought to
assure the members that genuine concerns of the Indian Medical
Association (IMA), which has been protesting against the Bill,
have been addressed.
Vardhan said by bringing the bill the basic intention of
the government is ensure and restore utmost standard of
integrity of medical education.
He noted that NMC bill 2019 is an improved version of the
one brought in 2017.
"Once the NMC Bill is passed by both houses of
Parliament, exit examination will be implemented in the next
three years," the Minister said.
On issues related to federalism, Vardhan said, "No
medical college will be set up without the state government's
permission."
The Minister also added that the government of India will
have no role in the day-to-day running of the medical
colleges.
"Yearly inspections have been done away with. This is
expected to do away with inspection raj and foster addition of
UG and PG seats in the country," he added.
    Vardhan said the Bill seeks to put in place a new
structure to tackle challenges in the medical education sector
and is a pro-poor.
    "When history will be written... it (bill) will go down
as one of the biggest reforms," he noted.
    A motion for consideration of the bill was passed by
260-48 votes after a division of votes was sought.
    The bill was then passed by a voice vote. PTI SID BKS
RT RT

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from a PTI feed.)