Govt dissolves MCI, new body led by docs takes over

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 26

In a massive move to reform medical education sector, the government on Wednesday dissolved the Medical Council of India replacing it with a seven member board of governors led by NITI Aayog member health VK Paul.

The seven-member BOG also comprises AIIMS New Delhi Director Randeep Guleria, PGI Chandigarh Director Jagat Ram, NIMHANS Bangalore Chief BN Gangadhar, AIIMS New Delhi professor Nikhil Tandon, Director General Health Services S Venkatesh, and Secretary Health Research Balram Bhargava.

The dissolution happened through an ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet today in a move to cleanse the health sector of corruption.

The Indian Medical Council Amendment Ordinance 2018 says the MCI will be superseded and the President, Vice-President and other MCI members will vacate their offices and shall have no claim to compensation whatsoever.

The move comes after a Supreme Court appointed oversight committee told the government that it was unable to oversee the MCI since the MCI remained non cooperative and non complaint.

The MCI was first dissolved through an ordinance in 2010 under the Congress-led UPA and remained superseded until 2013 and has again gone down the same old road.