President nod to MCI takeover by Board of Governors

New Delhi: The Medical Council of India (MCI) takeover by Board of Governors (BOGs) has achieved finalisation for a period of one year as the President of India Ram Nath Kovind has given his nod to the ordinance on the Bill.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that Union Cabinet earlier approved re-issuance of the ordinance to allow a committee-run the scam-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI).

This Ordinance was also promulgated by the cabinet as the Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha in the Winter session.

On the eve of 31st December, 2018, the Lok Sabha was seen giving its nod to the Indian Medical Council (Ordinance) Bill that would hand over the powers of the Medical Council of India to the Board of Governors.

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The Bill calls for supersession of the MCI and handing over its responsibilities to the Board of Governors which consist of up to seven members including persons of eminence in medical education, appointed by the central government. Further, the Ordinance provides for the Board of Governors to be assisted by a Secretary-General appointed by the central government.

However, the said bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. Following this, the Union Cabinet has once again approved the re-issuance of the ordinance to allow a committee-run the scam-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI), sources told PTI.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2017 that seeks to overhaul the medical education system in India and replace MCI is yet to be passed by Parliament, and the term of MCI's elected body members was about to end. To overcome the situation, the government had last year for the first time issued an ordinance to supersede MCI and give its powers to a Board of Governors (BoG). The BoG will continue to perform till a council is constituted in line with the provisions of the MCI Act in one year.