NAGPUR: Medical Council of India (MCI) may be the apex and autonomous body to monitor medical education in the country, but unlike all other higher education regulatory bodies, it does not have an independent body of its own for accreditation of medical colleges. Hence, it has forwarded this demand for consideration by the government of India as a step towards improving the standard of medical education as per international norms.
The MCI general body has put this and some more such suggestions in the form of GB resolutions to the government recently. Speaking to reporters at 'Meet the Press' organized by Nagpur Union of Working Journalists, Academic Council chairman of MCI Dr Ved Prakash Mishra said like University Grants Commission (UGC) has National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has National Board for Accreditation (NBA), MCI too should have a similar independent body for accreditation of the colleges.
"But this is not possible without an amendment in the basic Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act. Hence, MCI passed a resolution demanding a National Accreditation Board for medical education and has sent it to the Centre through an amendment in IMC. It is high time MCI moved beyond 'recognition' to colleges," said Dr Mishra.
Besides, MCI has also raised issues of giving power to it to make its own notifications on various decisions taken by the council so that it doesn't have to wait for the 3-5 years gestation period the government otherwise takes for issuing notifications. The GB of MCI has also demanded a provision of financial support for development projects like the grants given by UGC to different universities on a five-yearly basis.
A big issue haunting MCI for long is the absence of any designated agency for fixing the salary and service norms for medical teachers. At present it is as per UGC system. But the council feels this needs a change and should be done by the council. There is no uniformity in even the retirement age in different states for teachers.
A big change being demanded by the council is a 'national development perspective plan' for medical education in the country for bringing uniformity in quality of education as well as various other issues like grant of permission for new medical colleges. Indian constitution expects uniform development in all states based in the socio-economic standard of the state or the area. But unfortunately most medical colleges are concentrated in southern states, including Maharashtra. The applications should be scrutinized to have even distribution in the geographical area.
"Another issue worrying MCI is that the government has withdrawn its hands from medical education which is not a good sign as it may restrict the privilege of medical education only for the rich," Dr Mishra lamented.
Fact file
India is the biggest manpower generator in medical field in world. It has the highest intake capacity of 56,000 students annually, 60,000 medical teachers, 28,000 PG seats, 401 medical colleges.
Exit test introduced to open avenues for those planning to practise or study in other states or abroad. But it's voluntary.
Like the University Grants Commission (UGC) which distributes development grants to various universities, MCI should also have access to such funds and the authority to distribute it to medical colleges.
There is no regulatory authority as yet for laying the service conditions and the pay scales of medical teachers.
There is no agency or body to regulate setting up of new medical colleges distributed evenly across the country in various states or in underdeveloped states.
Of the 220 new colleges started in last two decades, 183 are in private sector.
The National Entrance Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) now to be applicable to even the NRI quota (NRI students need to clear the test).
Private colleges too to pay stipend as per the state or central government norms, what ever suits them to their post graduate students.
Every medical college to compulsorily have a research cell.
Every college should have the Students' Council head on the college council and be allowed to be a part of all decision making processes.
MCI has made it mandatory for state medical councils to resolve all ethical issues/cases within six months with a quantum of punishment which may vary from six months suspension to six months to two years or even two years or more.
The MCI general body has put this and some more such suggestions in the form of GB resolutions to the government recently. Speaking to reporters at 'Meet the Press' organized by Nagpur Union of Working Journalists, Academic Council chairman of MCI Dr Ved Prakash Mishra said like University Grants Commission (UGC) has National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has National Board for Accreditation (NBA), MCI too should have a similar independent body for accreditation of the colleges.
"But this is not possible without an amendment in the basic Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act. Hence, MCI passed a resolution demanding a National Accreditation Board for medical education and has sent it to the Centre through an amendment in IMC. It is high time MCI moved beyond 'recognition' to colleges," said Dr Mishra.
Besides, MCI has also raised issues of giving power to it to make its own notifications on various decisions taken by the council so that it doesn't have to wait for the 3-5 years gestation period the government otherwise takes for issuing notifications. The GB of MCI has also demanded a provision of financial support for development projects like the grants given by UGC to different universities on a five-yearly basis.
A big issue haunting MCI for long is the absence of any designated agency for fixing the salary and service norms for medical teachers. At present it is as per UGC system. But the council feels this needs a change and should be done by the council. There is no uniformity in even the retirement age in different states for teachers.
A big change being demanded by the council is a 'national development perspective plan' for medical education in the country for bringing uniformity in quality of education as well as various other issues like grant of permission for new medical colleges. Indian constitution expects uniform development in all states based in the socio-economic standard of the state or the area. But unfortunately most medical colleges are concentrated in southern states, including Maharashtra. The applications should be scrutinized to have even distribution in the geographical area.
"Another issue worrying MCI is that the government has withdrawn its hands from medical education which is not a good sign as it may restrict the privilege of medical education only for the rich," Dr Mishra lamented.
Fact file
India is the biggest manpower generator in medical field in world. It has the highest intake capacity of 56,000 students annually, 60,000 medical teachers, 28,000 PG seats, 401 medical colleges.
Exit test introduced to open avenues for those planning to practise or study in other states or abroad. But it's voluntary.
Like the University Grants Commission (UGC) which distributes development grants to various universities, MCI should also have access to such funds and the authority to distribute it to medical colleges.
There is no regulatory authority as yet for laying the service conditions and the pay scales of medical teachers.
There is no agency or body to regulate setting up of new medical colleges distributed evenly across the country in various states or in underdeveloped states.
Of the 220 new colleges started in last two decades, 183 are in private sector.
The National Entrance Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) now to be applicable to even the NRI quota (NRI students need to clear the test).
Private colleges too to pay stipend as per the state or central government norms, what ever suits them to their post graduate students.
Every medical college to compulsorily have a research cell.
Every college should have the Students' Council head on the college council and be allowed to be a part of all decision making processes.
MCI has made it mandatory for state medical councils to resolve all ethical issues/cases within six months with a quantum of punishment which may vary from six months suspension to six months to two years or even two years or more.
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