Medical Council Of India Admission 2024-25, Mock Tests, IIRF Ranking, News & Articles Details

MCI  - Medical Council of India

The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission.[1] The Council granted recognition of medical qualifications, gave accreditation to medical schools, granted registration to medical practitioners, and monitored medical practice in India. The MCI faced persistent criticism for corruption.

The Supreme Court of India authorized the Central Government to replace the medical council and to monitor the medical education system in India with the help of five specialized doctors from July 2017.

The NITI Aayog recommended the replacement of Medical Council of India (MCI) with National Medical Commission (NMC). First approved by most states, followed by the Prime Minister, the NMC bill was passed into law by parliament and approved by the president on 8 August 2019.[6][7][8] Once the National Medical Commission came into being on 25 September 2020, the 87-year old Medical Council of India was automatically dissolved[9] and the Indian Medical Council Act stood abolished.

Replacement by National Medical Commission

The NITI Aayog, an Indian government think tank, presented a draft for a new National Medical Commission (NMC) in 2016. Restructuring and reforming the MCI was also the subject of a 2017 report that was part of the Brookings India Impact Series.The Supreme Court of India authorized the Central Government to replace the MCI and to utilize a team of five specialized doctors to monitor the nation's medical education system, from July 2017. The Central Information Commission stated that the MCI had failed to disclose requested meeting notes and membership records surrounding the suspension records of Desai in 2017, and would not furnish the requested qualifications of professors and doctors who inspected medical colleges for the MCI since 2013.

The government of India issued an ordinance on 26 September 2018 to divest the functions of the MCI and replace it with a seven member board of governors. The National Medical Commission (NMC) was brought in to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) through an ordinance issued in January 2019 by the President of India. The National Medical Commission Bill was re-introduced in the Lok Sabha on 22 July 2019. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 30 July 2019 and by the Rajya Sabha on 1 August 2019. The National Medical Commission Act, 2019 came into force on 8 August 2019.

Functions of the council

The main functions of the MCI were listed as:

Establish and maintain uniform standards for undergraduate medical education.

Regulate postgraduate medical education in medical colleges accredited by it. (The National Board of Examinations is another statutory body for postgraduate medical education in India).

Recognition of medical qualifications granted by University or UGC in medical institutions in India.

Recognition of foreign medical qualifications in India.

Accreditation of medical colleges.

Registration of doctors with recognized medical qualifications. The state medical councils maintained a register of doctors, forwarded quarterly to the national MCI. Foreign medical graduates could register directly.

Maintain a directory of all registered doctors (called the Indian Medical Register).

Amend, as needed, the regulation of medical education and practices.