NEW DELHI: A major shake-up is underway in Delhi’s healthcare sector as the newly formed BJP-led government moves to dissolve the Delhi Medical Council (DMC). The decision, which follows a series of allegations regarding administrative mismanagement and financial irregularities, has raised serious concerns.
The DMC has long been the city’s primary watchdog for medical standards, tasked with validating the credentials of doctors and hospitals, overseeing medical compliance, and handling cases of negligence and professional misconduct.
Delhi’s Health Minister, Pankaj Singh, confirmed last week that the Delhi government has formally proposed the dissolution of the DMC. The proposal, which is now with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for approval, would mark the first such dissolution since the council’s inception in 1998.
Until a new body is formed, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will temporarily oversee the council’s functions. “The file regarding the dissolution of DMC is with the L-G. Until a new council is formed, DGHS will take charge.
Several allegations, including mismanagement and corruption, prompted this move. There are also concerns related to the registration of doctors and the upcoming tenure of the president and vice president,” Singh said.
The DMC, an autonomous statutory body, plays a crucial role in regulating medical practices across the capital.
Comprised of 25 members—ranging from elected doctors to appointees from medical colleges and the government—the council ensures that practicing doctors adhere to the highest standards. It also handles medical negligence cases, making it a key institution in maintaining public trust in healthcare.
However, the council’s operations have been plagued by inefficiencies, particularly after the position of registrar became vacant in February following the controversial removal of Dr Girish Tyagi.
With the registrar role left unfilled, several critical functions have come to a halt, including the registration of new MBBS graduates and the placement of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGEs) for internships. One of the most pressing issues emerging from this crisis is the delay in the registration of MBBS passouts, preventing them from beginning their medical careers.
Similarly, medical students from outside Delhi are unable to obtain the permanent registration required to practice in the city, while undergraduates cannot receive the provisional certificates necessary for their internships. Moreover, doctors seeking No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to migrate or study abroad are stuck in bureaucratic limbo, unable to proceed without the council’s approval.
With the council unable to fulfill these responsibilities without a registrar, Delhi’s medical fraternity is facing growing frustration. Dr Naresh Chawla, the officiating president of the DMC, called the government’s move “unfortunate” and expressed concern about the wider implications for both healthcare professionals and public health. “We have been asking the government to appoint a new registrar for months. Instead of addressing this need, the government has opted to dissolve the entire body. This decision is detrimental to both the medical community and the public,” he said.
In addition to administrative paralysis, the DMC is facing severe financial challenges.
Due to the registrar vacancy, the council has been unable to approve bills, resulting in a financial crisis that has left staff salaries unpaid and several obligations piling up. The body is reportedly struggling to cover over `2.5 crore in pending financial obligations, with no resolution in sight.
Political Allegations and Power Struggles
The crisis at the DMC has intensified due to internal power struggles and allegations against top officials, particularly Dr Arun Gupta, the President, and Dr Naresh Chawla, the Vice President. The government has accused these officials of unlawfully extending the tenure of the council’s former registrar. Dr Tyagi, who was supposed to retire in 2019, was controversially allowed to continue in his role, allegedly through manipulated recruitment rules that lacked government approval.
Despite multiple directives from the Health Department to relieve Tyagi, the council’s leadership resisted, which prompted a formal investigation. Sources claim that the council’s refusal to adhere to government instructions led to significant financial losses to the public exchequer. In response, the government has ordered the recovery of all salaries and benefits paid to Dr Tyagi since 2019, citing misuse of funds. Even after the removal of Dr Tyagi, the process to appoint a new registrar has been marred by delays and internal disagreements.
The DMC reportedly submitted a single name, Dr Vijay Dhankar, to the Delhi government in response to a request for a panel of candidates. This raised suspicions of lobbying within the council to push for a particular individual, further stalling the process. Dr Chawla defended the decision to send just one name, but acknowledged the internal discord. “We sent only one name to the government. If there are concerns, they should communicate directly with us,” he remarked.
Experts Warn of Drastic Step
Experts warn that dismantling the agency could severely disrupt public healthcare services in the capital. “No doctor is in favor of a complete dissolution of the Delhi Medical Council. Forming a new council is a long and complex process. In the meantime, essential functions like issuing NOCs to doctors moving in or out of Delhi, approving CME seminars, and handling registrations will come to a standstill. Just the absence of one registrar has led to months of pendency. Imagine the system running without a parent body altogether. At the very least, a temporary council should be constituted before any dissolution takes place,” said Dr Dhruv Chauhan, health activist.
However, according to Dr Aviral Mathur, immediate past president, Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA), the disbandment of the DMC comes with both pros and cons. “On one hand, we risk the loss of local oversight, laws, and various licensure regulations that are crucial for maintaining ground-level healthcare dynamics. Many doctors, especially those in smaller private setups, are likely to suffer. There’s also the potential for delays and overload in processing already backlogged registrations, no-objection certifications, and complaints. Most concerning is that patients and end consumers may lose a direct and approachable body for redressal,” he said.
Mathur added, “However, the move could help reduce the bureaucracy and corruption that has marred the recent tenure of DMC officials. Numerous projects and policies have been withheld due to vacant posts, and addressing this could pave the way for more effective healthcare delivery.”