New Delhi: With an aim to push the National Medical Council Bill, 2016, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) under Finance Minister Arun Jaitely to arrive at a consensus with the state governments on the constitution of the Board, which would replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). The GoM has been asked by the Prime Minister to submit reports at the earliest so that the government could expedite the passage of the bill in the Parliament.
“The state governments in their consultations with the NITI Aayog have argued that the majority of the medical professionals should be ensured in the Board, which will replace the MCI. The state governments have expressed concerns that non-medical professionals could constitute majority in the Board. The GoM will deliberate on such issues,” said a senior official of the think-tank panel.
The official also stated that the draft Cabinet note had been sent on the proposed bill to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). But the Prime Minister apparently wanted that the bill should not be contentious and a broad consensus should be arrived at before it is taken up the Cabinet for a decision. The NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagaria and the CEO Amitabh Kant will coordinate with the GoM, which will meet on March 20.
Incidentally, the NITI Aayog had been arguing that there should be common entry and exit examinations for the medical professionals to help build authentic standards in the medical education.