NEW DELHI: The union cabinet has approved certain amendments to the National Medical Commission Bill, expected to replace the much criticised Medical Council of India , following recently tabled recommendations by a parliamentary committee on the proposed legislation. The amendments include stringent punishment for quackery, removal of a bridge course that would have allowed non-allopathic doctors to practice modern medicine and regulation of fees for 50% seats at deemed universities.The government has considered recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on March 20, stated a release about the cabinet approval on Wednesday. NEXT would also serve as the screening test for doctors with foreign medical qualifications in order to practice in India,” stated the release.Responding to demands from States to increase their representation in the NMC, the nominees of States and Union Territories in the proposed commission have been increased to six members from three earlier. The NMC will comprise of 25 members of which at least 21 will be doctors, the release said.The cabinet has also approved the replacement of a clause that offered a wide range of monetary penalty up to 10 times the annual fee recovered from a batch that was to be imposed in a graded manner on a medical college non-compliant with the norms. “The clause has been replaced with a provision which provides different options for warning, reasonable monetary penalty, reducing intake, stoppage of admission leading up to withdrawal of recognition,” said the release.

Source: Economic Times March 28, 2018 15:11 UTC