The Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Health has backed the Union Health Ministry's move to revamp the functioning of Medical Council of India (MCI). It agreed with the government's suggestion to bring in a number of amendments to the Indian Medical Council Act to make MCI a more responsible body functioning in an accountable and transparent manner.

To pave way for the reconstitution of the council as per the amendments, the existing MCI council would be dissolved as a one-time measure. Its functions would be discharged by a board of administrators for a period not exceeding six months. The new provisions would also see that the council is accountable to the government and the Parliament.

Disclosing this, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister for Health and Family Welfare said that the amendments intend at the reorientation of medical education. Standardisation of education to secure universal recognition and acceptance to degrees awarded and reconstitution of the council to represent all states are among the plans. The committee fully supported the initiatives proposed and agreed that indeed the medical education in the country needs a revamp and that the Medical Council of India, which long ceased to deliver should be infused with fresh blood, to make it a transparent, proactive body, sensitised to societal commitments in the changed global scenario.

Reassuring the committee that there is no wholesome change in MCI, Dr. Ramadoss said that the cosmetic changes proposed would go a long way in tuning the medical education and system in the country. Since, medical education is the foundation for national health-care and delivery system, there is a need to incorporate lot of improvements, new treatments, new techniques, new medicines, new surgical methods, social and professional commitments. Regulation here means improving of the medical education and its quality, as well as raising its standards to international level.

The new Council will also have four professionals as ex-officio members i.e. the director of AIIMS, the director general of Armed Forces Medical Service, the director general of health services and the president of the National Board of Examinations.

Dr. Ramadoss also pointed out that the admission and the fee structure would be decided in due course. The role of MCI will remain recommendatory in nature and the Centre will have the powers to either accept modify or reject them. Curriculum will be reviewed every two years and registration of hospitals made compulsory. Rural posting at least for one year will be necessary for the MBBS degree.