The recent unveiling of the National Medical Commission (NMC) in place of the previously established Medical Council of India (MCI) has become a topic of interest in current news. This transformation has been made possible through the gazette notification provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Let’s dive deeper into the subject matter to gain a clear understanding.
Historical Overview and Legal Changes
Tracing its roots back to 1934, the MCI was originally found under the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1933. Its primary obligation was to ensure high standards in medicine, along with acknowledging medical qualifications in India and internationally. The initial Act was overruled in 1956 and replaced by a new statute. Further changes were made in 1964, 1993 and 2001.
Significant transition took place in 2018 when the MCI underwent dissolution and was supplanted by a Board of Governors (BoG). A NITI Aayog member chaired the BoG. Currently, after the recent gazette notification, the IMC Act 1956 is obsolete, giving way to The National Medical Commission Act that was introduced on the 8th of August, 2019.
The Objective behind the Transformation
The establishment of NMC aims at bringing reforms in the medical sector. These changes specifically target the replacement of the MCI, an institution tarnished by corruption and other debacles.
An Insight into The National Medical Commission
The NMC, as the highest regulatory authority in medical education in the country, consists of four autonomous boards responsible for: Undergraduate medical education. Postgraduate medical education. Medical assessment and rating. Ethics and medical registration.
Examination Structures Under The NMC
In the new medical education framework under the NMC, the common final year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) examination will be recognized as the National Exit Test (NEXT). NEXT will function as licentiate examination to practice medicine, a requisite for admission to postgraduate medical courses, and also screening foreign medical graduates.
Beyond NEET: Introducing NEXT
In addition to the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), NEXT will apply to nationally important institutes including all All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). This application is designed to enforce uniform standards in the country’s medical education sector.
Leadership of the NMC
Dr. Suresh Chandra Sharma, former head of ENT (Otorhinolaryngology, specializing in ear, nose, and throat diseases) AIIMS Delhi, has been assigned the role of chairman for the next three years.
