The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2013, which the Opposition parties claimed a legislation to help the private medical colleges having branches abroad, has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and the panel has started the scrutiny of the same.

Though the government was keen on passing the bill during the last session itself, it did not force the same in the absence for a consensus on the matter following the reservations expressed by the Opposition. Hence, the bill was referred to the panel instead being taken up for discussion, after the bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha in August.

The Panel headed by Brajesh Pathak has already taken the views of senior health ministry officials on the matter recently as part of its scrutiny and would be meeting the other stakeholders for oral and written evidence.

The Bill seeks to replace the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 and, inter alia, proposes to  restrict the term of office of the President, Vice-President upto two terms;, recognize medical qualifications granted to the citizens of India by medical institutions in India and to extend the benefit to the overseas citizens of India; recognise medical practice by the persons having medical qualifications granted by medical institutions in any country outside India and empower Central Government to remove from the office the President, Vice-President or a Member of the Council. It also empowers the Centre to give directions to the Council on the matter of policy and for making any regulation.

“In order to have wider consultations, the Committee has decided to invite written memoranda containing suggestions/views/ comments of individuals/institutions/organisations interested in the subject matter of the Bill,” the panel said in a notice.

Opposition parties had alleged that the bill would  help private medical colleges to open Centres abroad, besides taking way the autonomous status of the Medical Council. The CPI (M) has moved about eight amendments. In section seven, which deals with the amendment to section nine of the principal Act, two sub- sections, “e” and “f” have come under criticism. The CPI (M) has alleged that this clause would help private medical colleges who have branches abroad.