A bill seeking to extend the tenure of the re-constituted top body governing health education — Medical Council of India (MCI) — by another year is expected to be introduced in Parliament this week.
The government had earlier superseded the MCI by issuing an ordinance in May 2010 after the then MCI president was caught by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly taking bribe. To facilitate extension of the term of the board of governors of the MCI for another year, the ministry had introduced an Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill in 2011.
Even as the proposed NCHRH Bill, that aims at creating a super medical authority by scrapping all other regulatory bodies is in the offing, with the same being referred to the standing committee, the ministry is left with no option but to introduce the IMC (amendment) bill for the extension of the term of the board of governors for another year before May 15.
Senior officials in the ministry said that if the proposed Bill is not passed, the elected body of the MCI will be restored.
Meanwhile, the NCHRH Bill was introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament and referred to the standing committee thereafter. When passed, all independent bodies like Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India and Nursing Council of India will come under the over-arching council.
The proposed bill had run into rough weather after the human resource development (HRD) ministry announced taking over medical education in their proposed NCHER bill.
The Union health ministry strongly objected to it and approached the Cabinet for the clearance of their proposed National Commission for Human Resources for Health (NCHRH) Bill, 2011, even after waiting long for the HRD ministry to send its comments.