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Panel suggests no separate exit exam, no bridge course

New Delhi: Suggesting a middle path to resolve the two contentious issues --- exit exam and bridge course --- in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, the Parliament Standing Committee on Health in its report recommended conducting licensing exam in the fourth year of the MBBS course instead of exit exam to get a medical practitioner license.
The report was submitted by the Parliament Standing Committee on National Medical Commission in both the houses of the Parliament on Tuesday. While suggesting 'bridge course' that should not be made a mandatory provision, the department-related House panel in its report stated that the states should ensure availability of doctors in rural areas. Notably, in the NMC Bill it has been proposed to conduct bridge course to allow practitioners of alternative medicines such as homoeopathy and ayurveda to practice allopathy. The committee, which is headed by Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav, has stated that conducting a separate examination to 'certify' a MBBS graduate's talent is like pointing fingers at standards of medical universities.
Besides, there would be additional pressure on students pursuing MBBS as it happens that many students fail to pass the license exams despite scoring better marks in their MBBS degrees. "Such provisions would further reduce the number of doctors in the country, which is facing acute shortage of doctors. If it continues, the country would have an army of unemployed MBBS youth," the Panel stated in its report. The House Panel recommended to link licensing exam with the final year of MBBS and holding the exam at state-level in every state. The Panel also suggested increasing to the number of commission members increased from 25 to 29 and out of which nine members should be selected by doctors. The Panel recommended controlling fees of 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges instead of 40 per cent.
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