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The National Medical Commission (NMC) was founded by an act of Parliament known as the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which took effect on September 25, 2020, by a gazette notification. The National Medical Commission (NMC) is a 33 member Indian regulatory body that oversees medical education and professionals. It took the place of the medical council of India. New Delhi is home to the organisation’s headquarters. The commission recognised medical qualifications, accredits medical schools, and evaluates the medical infrastructure in India.

Following that, the Board of Governors, created under Section 3A of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, was terminated in supersession of the Medical Council of India.

A few Key Features of the National Medical Commission Act

The key features of the national medical commission act are as follows:

  • Increase access to high-quality, low-cost medical education.
  • Ensure the availability of adequate and high-quality healthcare professionals in all parts of the country.
  • Encourage equitable and global healthcare that encourages a primary care mindset and makes health professionals’ services available to all populations.

What is the National Medical Commission Act?

 The NMC act provides high-quality, affordable medical education; ensures the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country; promotes equitable and universal healthcare; encourages a community-health perspective; and makes medical professionals’ services available to all citizens;

That promotes national health goals; encourages medical professionals to use the most recent medical research in their work and to contribute to research; has an objective, periodic, and transparent assessment of medical institutions; facilitates the maintenance of an Indian medical register, and enforces high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services. That is adaptable to changing demands and has an efficient grievance redressal system and concerns related to or incidental to that.

Why is there a need for the National Medical Commission?

NMC ACT is a government initiative to provide quality education, and the following are the need for the national medical commission:

  • Enact policies and appropriate legislation to maintain high quality and standards in medical education
  • Establish policies and rules for controlling medical institutions, medical research, and medical professionals
  • Assess medical needs, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure, and develop a strategy for meeting those needs
  • Promote, coordinate, and formulate guidelines and policies by enacting laws necessary for the Commission, autonomous boards, and state medical councils to function properly
  • Keep autonomous boards in sync
  • The State Medical Councils follow the guidelines and regulations issued under this Act to function effectively
  • Have appellate authority over the Autonomous Boards’ decisions
  • Establish rules and norms to ensure the medical profession’s adherence to professional ethics and to encourage ethical behaviour by medical practitioners while providing treatment
  • Develop criteria for determining fees and other charges for 50% of seats in private medical institutions and universities considered to be universities governed by the provisions of this Act
  • Exercise any additional powers and perform any additional tasks as specified

Why is the NMC Act being protested by the medical fraternity?

Three primary concerns unite the NMC’s opponents.

The NMC gives the Commission the authority to “issue a restricted licence to practise medicine at the mid-level as a community health provider.”

Critics contend that the title “community health provider” has been loosely defined, allowing people with no medical education to practise medicine.

 The NMC’s planned National Exit Test (NEXT) is the second point of controversy. Admission to postgraduate medical courses is currently made using NEET-PG (National Eligibility and Entrance Test for Postgraduate).

Next, on the other hand, it has been designed as a single test that will serve as a standard final-year undergraduate medical exam and will be used to issue medical licences and entrance to postgraduate studies.

Medical practitioners must now register with a state medical council to practise, but they are not obliged to take any tests to get a licence.

It has also been stated that a single exam is being given too much weight, which might negatively influence medical aspirants’ careers.

Third, the NMC empowers the Commission to “establish criteria for determining fees and other charges regarding 50% of seats in private medical institutions and recognised to be universities.” 

So, it is all about why is the NMC act being protested by the medical fraternity?

Conclusion

NMC was started by parliamentary legislation that went into force on September 25, 2019. The Key Features of the National Commission Act are to promote fair and universal healthcare and the availability of appropriate and high-quality education. NMC is a law that aims to improve the quality and cost of medical education. The source of contention is the NMC’s planned National Exit Test (NEXT). Its mission is to provide high-quality medical education at a low cost to all segments of society. The key features of the national medical commission act are developing policies for regulating medical institutions and medical professionals and assessing the needs for healthcare-related human resources.