Mission, vision, functions, composition, and other details of the National Medical Commission are provided below.
The Indian healthcare system has undergone a significant transformation with the establishment of the National Medical Commission (NMC). It is a regulatory body.
This change aims to rebuild the medical education system and streamline the governance of the medical profession in the country.
National Medical Commission (NMC)
The National Medical Commission (NMC) was constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which came into force on September 25, 2020.
- It replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) which had been the regulatory body for medical education and practice in India since 1934.
- The NMC will function as the country’s top regulator of medical education.
- The headquarters of the National Medical Commission is located in New Delhi.
Mission and Vision of the NMC
Aim of the National Medical Commission (NMC) are as follows:
- Improve access to high-quality and affordable medical education
- Ensure there are enough qualified medical professionals in all parts of the country
- Promote healthcare that is available to all citizens and focuses on community health
- Encourage medical professionals to use the latest research in their work and contribute to research
- Regularly and objectively assess medical institutions in a transparent way
- Maintain a medical register for India
- Enforce high ethical standards in all medical services
- Provide an effective system for addressing grievances
Functions of the National Medical Commission
The NMC is responsible for regulating medical education and medical professionals in India. Its key functions include:
- Establish policies and regulations to maintain high quality and standards in medical education
- Develop policies to regulate medical institutions, research, and professionals
- Assess the country’s healthcare needs, including healthcare workers and infrastructure, and create a plan to meet those needs
- Provide guidelines and policies to ensure the proper functioning of the Commission, its Boards, and State Medical Councils
- Coordinate the activities of the Commission’s Autonomous Boards
- Ensure that State Medical Councils follow the Commission’s guidelines and regulations
- Act as an appeal body for decisions made by the Autonomous Boards
- Create policies and codes to promote ethical practices and professional conduct among medical practitioners
- Determine guidelines for setting fees for 50% of seats in private medical institutions and deemed universities
- Carry out any other powers and functions as prescribed
Composition and Structure of NMC
The NMC consists of 33 members, including the Chairperson (who must be a medical professional), 10 ex-officio members, and 22 part-time members.
- The Medical Advisory Council provides a platform for States and Union Territories to voice their concerns and advise the NMC on maintaining minimum standards of medical education.
The NMC has four autonomous boards:
- Undergraduate Medical Education Board
- Postgraduate Medical Education Board
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board
From the Medical Council of India to the National Medical Commission
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was established in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1933, with the primary function of establishing uniform standards of higher qualifications in medicine and recognizing medical qualifications in India and abroad.
- In 2018, the government dissolved the MCI and replaced it with a Board of Governors (BoG), chaired by a member of NITI Aayog.
- The IMC Act, of 1956 has now been repealed, and the National Medical Commission Act, of 2019 has come into effect, ushering in a new era of medical education and regulation.
Key Changes and Reforms as per New Medical Education Structure Under the NMC
A few key changes under NMC in the medical education system are:
- The National Exit Test (NEXT) has been introduced as a common final-year MBBS examination, serving as a licentiate examination to practice medicine, a criterion for admission to postgraduate medical courses, and a screening mechanism for foreign medical graduates.
- NEXT will apply to institutes of national importance, such as the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), alongside the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), ensuring a common standard in the medical education sector.
- The NMC aims to bring reforms in the medical education sector, addressing issues such as the demand-supply mismatch, lack of skills, inadequate research and innovation, faculty crunch, and the need for social accountability among medical students.
Why in the News?
In a matter regarding the payment of stipends for doctors undergoing their MBBS internships, the Supreme Court recently issued a directive to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to submit details regarding the stipend status of medical colleges across all States of the country.
- This directive underscores the court’s commitment to ensuring fair and equitable practices within the medical education system.
Conclusion
As the NMC continues to navigate the evolving landscape of medical education and regulation in India, it faces the challenge of addressing longstanding issues while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
The success of this transition will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the quality of healthcare services and the well-being of the nation.
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Article Written By: Priti Raj
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