NMC - A Reform Vehicle
Legal Notes|August 2019

The gazette notification of August 8, 2019 has established the National Medical Commission (NMC). NMC has now become law and will regulate medical education and practices in India.

NMC - A Reform Vehicle

The Commission will have 33 members: a Chairperson, 10-ex officio members and 22 part time members. The new body will comprise members of standing in government/autonomous institutes along with some nominated with competencies including from non-medical disciplines as appropriate. In comparison, the Medical Council of India (MCI) had 160 members, of which two-thirds of the members were elected from among the medical fraternity (IMA).

The NMC will have four autonomous boards:

(i) Under-Graduate Medical Education Board to set standards and regulate medical education at undergraduate level;

(ii) Post-Graduate Medical Education Board to set standards and regulate medical education at postgraduate level;

(iii) Medical Assessment and Rating Board for inspections and rating of medical institutions. The Board will also be responsible for granting permissions for the creation of new medical colleges and for existing colleges to start PG programmes. All this is aimed at increasing the total number of medical seats available while also creating a highly efficient and contemporary medical education system in the country; and,

(iv) Ethics and Medical Registration Board to regulate and promote professional conduct and medical ethics and also maintain national registers of licensed medical practitioners. With the new Bill, the NMC looks to make the

This story is from the August 2019 edition of Legal Notes.

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