NMC Bill passes Rajya Sabha test
New Delhi: Despite stiff protest by the medical fraternity, the National Medical Commission Bill passed the Rajya Sabha test on Thursday. However, the government has made some amendments in the bill, which need to be passed by the Lok Sabha. As per the changes in the bill, the government has increased the number of nominated members in the commission from five to nine and number of state's representatives has been increased to 11 from six.
While moving the Bill in the Upper House, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said, "The he will ensure adequate and high quality medical professionals across the country."
The bill that seeks to repeal corruption-plagued Medical Council of India (MCI) was passed by a voice vote, amid a walkout by AIADMK. The Lok Sabha had passed the NMC Bill on July 29.
The Health Minister, in his reply, on the debate on the bill said that NEET is already an institutionalised body which is conducting examinations in 13 languages.
"Once the NMC Bill is approved, exit examination will be implemented in the next three years," the Minister said, adding that NEET Counselling is completely transparent. Vardhan also thanked senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for his valuable suggestions.
The bill also has a provision for making national standards in medical education uniform by proposing that the final year MBBS exam be treated as an entrance test for PG and a screening test for students who graduate in medicine from foreign countries.
This exam, called the National Exit Test (NEXT), would ensure that the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) moves away from a system of repeated inspections of infrastructure and focuses on outcomes rather than processes, Vardhan said.
As the Bill was moved by the minister, Trinamool Congress member Dr Santanu Sen, who is also IMA president, said, "As the medical fraternity is on the road against the bill, the bill should not be discussed."
Raising a point of order under Rule 258, the TMC member said, "My point of order is that this Bill is relating to the medical fraternity, doctors' community and medical students. The entire medical fraternity and medical
students are on the road and are on strike against this Bill." In response to Sen's point of order, the Chairman
asked him to say it during the discussion.
The NMC Bill is dubbed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's one of the biggest reforms. The bill is aimed at addressing the shortcomings in the process of regulating medical colleges in the country.
As per the provisions of the NMC Bill, MBBS pass-outs from the countries of USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will now have to clear the exit exam, which was not a must earlier.
Participating in the discussion, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh urged the government to drop a provision which he said would 'legalise quackery' under Section 32 of the bill.
Participating in the debate, BJP leader Suresh Prabhu stressed on the quality of education and medical services in the country and the importance of conforming to national standards.
