Knowledge Nugget: National Medical Commission in news due to Vaishno Devi medical college row — What is it all about?

2. NMC allowed the college to conduct the MBBS course, admitting 50 students, in September last year, after it issued an LoP based on a detailed inspection by its team of experts. Out of the 50, 44 Muslim students were selected on the basis of their merit in NEET.

3. The withdrawal of permission followed a surprise inspection of the medical institute by a team from the NMC last week, which, according to officials, was conducted after multiple complaints that the college lacked the infrastructure to run a medical course.

National Medical Commission

1. The National Medical Commission has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which came into force on 25.9.2020 by gazette notification dated 24.9.2020.

2. The Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India constituted under section 3A of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 stands dissolved thereafter.

3. The Commission consist of the following persons that are appointed by the Central Government:

(a) a Chairperson;

(b) ten ex officio Members; and

(c) twenty-two part-time Members.

4. According to the NMC Act, the Chairperson shall be a medical professional of outstanding ability, proven administrative capacity and integrity, possessing a postgraduate degree in any discipline of medical sciences from any University and having experience of not less than twenty years in the field of medical sciences, out of which at least ten years shall be as a leader in the area of medical education.

5. The aim of the National Medical Commission are to:

(i) improve access to quality and affordable medical education, 

(ii) ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country; 

(iii) promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens; 

(iv) encourages medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research;

(v) objectively assess medical institutions  periodically in a transparent manner; 

(vi) maintain a medical register for India; 

(vii) enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services; 

(viii) have an effective grievance redressal mechanism.

Functions of the National Medical Commission

1. Lay down policies for maintaining a high quality and high standards in medical education and make necessary regulations in this behalf;

2. Assess the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure and develop a road map for meeting such requirements;

3. Promote, co-ordinate and frame guidelines and lay down policies by making necessary regulations for the proper functioning of the Commission, the Autonomous Boards and the State Medical Councils;

4. Take such measures, as may be necessary, to ensure compliance by the State Medical Councils of the guidelines framed and regulations made under this Act for their effective functioning under this Act;

5. Exercise appellate jurisdiction with respect to the decisions of the Autonomous Boards; Exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be prescribed.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: National Health Committees

Various committees of experts have been appointed by the government from time to time to render advice about different health problems. The reports of these committees have formed an important basis of health planning in India.

1. Bhore Committee (1946): This committee, known as the Health Survey & Development Committee, was appointed in 1943 with Sir Joseph Bhore as its chairman. It laid emphasis on the integration of curative and preventive medicine at all levels. It made comprehensive recommendations for remodelling of health services in India.

2. Mudaliar Committee (1962): This committee, known as the “Health Survey and Planning Committee”, headed by Dr A.L. Mudaliar, was appointed to assess the performance in the health sector since the submission of the Bhore Committee report. This committee found the conditions in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to be unsatisfactory and suggested that the PHC, already established, should be strengthened before new ones are opened.

3. Mukherjee Committee (1966): Multiple activities of the mass programmes, like family planning, smallpox, leprosy, trachoma, NMEP (maintenance phase), etc., were making it difficult for the states to undertake these effectively because of a shortage of funds. A committee of state health secretaries, headed by the Union Health Secretary, Shri Mukherjee, was set up to look into this problem. The committee worked out the details of the basic health service which should be provided at the block level, and some consequential strengthening is required at higher levels of administration.

Post Read Question

With reference to the National Medical Commission (NMC), consider the following statements:

1. The National Medical Commission was established under an Act of Parliament that came into force in 2020.

2. It has the power to withdraw the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to a medical college if deficiencies are found during inspection.

3. The NMC regulates fees for all seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

(Sources: nmc.org.in, National Medical Commission withdraws MBBS nod to Vaishno Devi medical college amid row over admission to Muslims)

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