The Health Ministry, on Monday, selected 25 members of the National Medical Commission (NMC). The selection was done through a draw of lots, from the nominations sent in by the states, Union Territories and State Medical Councils (SMCs). It was done in the presence of Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of Health for State, along with senior officers from the Ministry, and media representatives.
The selected members comprise 10 vice-chancellors (VCs) from different states, 9 representatives from SMCs and 4 members for the 4 autonomous boards viz. Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), Medical Assessment and Rating Board and Ethics and Medical Registration Board.
The 10 VCs are from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Punjab and Haryana.
The 9 SMC representatives are from Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Manipur.
The 4 representatives for autonomous boards are from Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland and Madhya Pradesh
The NMC will include 33 members, advisory boards and a Medical Advisory Council. It will have full-time and part-time members. Full-time members will serve a term of 4 years and part-time members, of 2 years. The latter shall be rotated. The said 25 members would be part-time.
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan assured that the members from diverse backgrounds will be included in the commission in order to strike a balance in policy prescriptions. He also noted that the selection process is being carried out in a timely manner – “We had 9 months to select the members of the NMC, and within a short span of 2 months, we have framed the rules, notified them and also carried out the process of selection of the part-time members of the NMC today. To ensure probity and integrity of the highest order, a compact body is being selected through a transparent mechanism and representation of States and State Councils in rotation. This will facilitate faster decision making also.”
He also said that 284 applications have been received for the pending 8 positions.
Meanwhile, the Board of Governors has been asked to draft guidelines for fee regulation. The guidelines will be used as a base document by the NMC.
Source: livemint.com, economictimes.com, ndtv.com
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