Changes in Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2013 requiring government to act in case of serious charges

Updated on: Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Government will now be empowered to remove the President or other office-bearers of Medical Council of India if found indulging in corrupt practices or serious offences of "moral turpitude", once the law governing the apex body controlling medical colleges is passed.

The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2013, seeks to bring about such necessary changes requiring the government to act in case of serious charges against MCI office-bearers.

The changes proposed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare include fixing tenure of the President of the elected-body of MCI to a maximum period of four years for two continuous terms. Earlier, the President could have a five-year tenure and there was no limit on the total number of terms.

The changes have been necessitated as the government has no control over the elected body under the present law governing it.

The MCI has been in the eye of a storm following serious charges of corruption against its former President Ketan Desai, who was arrested by the CBI after being caught taking bribe of Rs two crore from the management of a medical college in Punjab.

Ever since, the government disbanded the MCI and installed a Board of Governors to run the apex medical regulator. The tenure of the current Board of Governors, which is running its second term, will end on May 13, after which an elected body would again have to be installed.

The new Bill also makes mandatory renewal of enrolment of doctors every 10 years in the registers maintained by the body or state councils.

The proposed Bill, which is being whetted by Law Ministry, will go to the Union Cabinet for its approval before it is passed in Parliament.

Changes in Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2013 requiring government to act in case of serious charges

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