Ethics code to be binding on all medical commission members

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 13

In a first, all members of the national medical education regulator will have to subscribe to a statutory code of ethics to keep corrupt practices at bay.

Accordingly, the National Medical Commission Act will mandate all 33 members of the commission to declare their assets and liabilities at the time of entering the office and again declare these at the time of demitting work. The declarations will have to be made on the website of the NMC when it is created. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said, “The objective is to address medical corruption and all its sources.”

The law would also require NMC members to be prepared to give up any hope of employment in medical education sector for two years after they demit office.

“In case any member seeks urgent employment within two years after he or she exits as an NMC member, the person concerned would need the permission of the government for seeking the job. He must also offer credible reasons for asking for the stated job,” a Health Ministry official said. Someone who has been a medical education regulator cannot go on immediately after the job to seek a job from the regulated (a medical college), he reasoned. The code of ethics for NMC members is the first in the history of medical education regulation in India.

Asset declaration must 

• All 33 NMC members will have to declare assets and liabilities at the time of entering and demitting office
• The Health Ministry has formed a committee to frame regulations under the NMC Act, 2019

Ministry seeks nominations

• The government on Tuesday kick-started the process of setting up the National Medical Commission 
• The Health Ministry has asked chief secretaries of all states to nominate one V-C each of a medical college or university for inclusion in the NMC advisory council
• All state medical councils have also been asked to nominate one member each, while the Home Secretary will nominate one V-C from each UT