NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC), which regulates medical education and medical professionals in India, has been functioning without a full-time chairperson for the past four months. This is despite the Union Health Ministry inviting applications last year to fill the key position.
At the moment, Dr. B.N. Gangadhar, former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), has been officiating as NMC Chairman since September last year. He took over after the first NMC Chairman, Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma’s tenure ended in September last year.
Gangadhar earlier held the position of President of the Medical Assessment & Rating Board (MARB). He is still holding the position. MARB determines the procedure for assessing and rating the medical institutions for their compliance with the laid-down standards, carries out inspections, and grants permission to new medical institutions.
Apart from these key positions, many crucial posts in NMC are yet to be filled.
The NMC does not have a full-time President for the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB). The functions of EMRB are to maintain national registers of all licensed medical practitioners, regulate their professional conduct, and promote medical ethics as per laid-out rules.
Apart from that, the positions of an ex-officio member and two members are vacant. NMC is a 33-member autonomous body.
Dr K V Babu, who had filed an RTI in this regard, said he received a reply from the Union Health Ministry, saying that the “appointment to various vacant posts in NMC as advertised is under process.”
Speaking with this paper, Kerala-based Babu said that the Union Health Ministry had invited applications for the vacant posts, including for the position of Chairman, seven months back.
“The ministry must have been aware that the new chairman should be in office on September 26 given the age bar under section 6 (1) of the NMC Act 2019 and had invited applications well in advance - before June 2023,” he said.
“But even after seven months of receiving applications, there is no appointment of regular NMC Chairman and others. The ministry has said that they are still processing the applications. This is not at all a good trend. The ministry is continuing the functioning of the NMC by ad hoc appointments, which is impeding its regular functioning,” Babu said.
The officiating chairman, who retired from NIMHANS in 2020, has been in office for over four months, he added.
In its January 24 reply, the ministry refused to disclose personal information regarding who has filed applications for the various positions.
“Further, Selection/appointment against vacant posts as advertised is under process as per provision of NMC Act, 2019 and Rules framed thereunder. And disclosure of this personal information has no relationship to any public activity or interest and is likely to cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of these individuals,” the RTI reply said.
“Therefore, the copies of applications cannot be provided as per provision of section 8 (1) (j) of RTI Act, 2005,” it added.
In its notification for inviting applications for the post of Chairman, Secretary, Member of NMC and President and Members of the autonomous boards of NMC last year, the ministry had said that applicants must not exceed 65 years of age as of June 1, 2023. It also listed the later date of receipt of the application as June 30, 2023.