MPs oppose proposal to replace MCI

A section of Rajya Sabha MPs on Monday opposed replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a medical commission, as proposed by a Niti Aayog panel.

The lawmakers were not in favour of substituting the MCI with a new body, though they admitted that the government could have better control on the medical education regulator which is riddled with allegations of corruption.

Samajwadi Party member Naresh Aggarwal asked Health Minister J P Nadda to be bold and take full control of MCI, rather than dividing it into four parts.

A Niti Aayog panel had suggested setting up a National Medical Commission with four independent boards, one each for undergraduate medical education, postgraduate medical education, medical assessment and accreditation, and registration and ethics.

An independent advisory council with representatives from states and Union territories has also been proposed to guide the 20-member commission. The members would be picked through a search-cum-selection method.

The panel, headed by Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya, is yet to submit its report. It was set up soon after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health recommended scrapping MCI for its failure as a regulator and for not being responsive to India’s healthcare needs.

While BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said there were no pending cases against former MCI president Ketan Desai, who was arrested by CBI on graft charges, TDP member C M Ramesh said: “Where is the evidence of corruption in MCI.”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, however, pointed out that despite widespread corruption in MCI, the regulator could not be cleaned up because of the nexus between MCI officials and the political establishment.

Nadda said the government would not succumb to vested interests and will take all parties into confidence before initiating changes in the MCI. “We will make foolproof arrangement and will consult all parties. We are not under any pressure,” Nadda said.
DH News Service