Premium

Amid bribery allegations against NMC, Centre appoints new chairperson

Dr Abhijat Sheth is yet to take over as the chairperson of NMC from Dr B N Gangadhar, who had resigned from his post in October, but continued to work in the position as his resignation was not accepted due to the unavailability of suitable candidates.

Dr Abhijat Sheth (ANI)

The Centre recently appointed Dr Abhijat Sheth as the chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC) — the apex medical education regulatory body in the country. Currently, Dr Sheth heads the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) that conducts the entrance examinations for the post-graduate and super-specialisation medical courses.

Dr Sheth is yet to take over as the chairperson of NMC from Dr B N Gangadhar, who had resigned from his post in October, but continued to work in the position as his resignation was not accepted due to the unavailability of suitable candidates. According to sources, the health ministry had earlier sent at least a couple of shortlists of candidates to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, but nobody could be appointed then.

Dr Sheth will continue to serve as the head of NBEMS for a few months, considering that the NEET-PG is supposed to take place in August. He will leave the body eventually, the sources added.

The Indian Express had reported earlier in July that for nearly nine months, key posts on all four autonomous boards of the NMC had remained vacant, including the posts of three of the four presidents. In fact, the report stated that the chairperson and the only remaining president had also submitted their resignations, but they had not been accepted.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with an alleged corruption scandal that manipulated the regulatory framework governing medical colleges. This included unauthorised sharing of classified information, such as upcoming inspections, allowing colleges to make fraudulent arrangements like getting ghost faculty and admitting fictitious patients, and widespread bribery to secure favourable treatment for private institutions.

The FIR, however, does not name the NMC chairperson.

Among the 34 persons named in the FIR are former University Grants Commission chairman Dr D P Singh, officials from the health ministry and NMC, members of teams that inspect medical colleges, and representatives of various medical colleges.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
medical
NMC

Loading Taboola...