New Delhi: Rajya Sabha on Thursday (i.e. on august 26, 2010) has given its approval to the Indian Medical Council Amendment Bill 2010. The House has given its nod to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a Board of seven eminent doctors.
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, while replying to the debate in Rajya Sabha on Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2010, has said that MCI set up to regulate medical education, was dissolved through an Ordinance in May, in the wake of corruption charges.
Mr Azad also emphasized on the need for setting up private medical colleges to meet the shortage of doctors. He also added that they required between Rs 150 and Rs 200 crore to set up a medical college, and the recurring expenditure was around Rs 35 crore per year. In addition, he said that if the Central and the state governments do not help these colleges financially, it would be wrong to think that they would not charge capitation fee.
Moreover, the CPM member Brinda Karat immediately charged Azad for justifying capitation fee. Mr Azad said that he is not justifying capitation fee. The issue has to be flagged and solution found. No medical colleges are coming up in public sector. Government and Parliament have to think about it.
The Bill, already passed by Lok Sabha, deems that MCI shall stand superseded and the president, vice-president and other members of the council shall vacate their offices and not claim any compensation.
Furthermore, the Bill also suggests that the council shall be reconstituted within a period of one year from the date of supersession. Until a new council is constituted, the board of governors shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of the council under the new Bill.
Mr Azad informed that a new Bill will come up in the next session, and they will allay the apprehensions of the members, whatever is the form of the new Bill, there will be representatives from state governments. Mr Azad also referred to a shortage of around 5.5 lakh doctors in the country and listed the efforts taken by the government to deal with the crisis.
