The government on Friday introduced the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018, in Lok Sabha that aims to supersede the Medical Council of India and hand over its responsibilities to a Board of Governors, PTI reported. The legislation is part of efforts to set up an alternative regulatory mechanism for medical education and bring in transparency and quality.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda introduced the bill after the government in September passed an ordinance when Parliament was not in session. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, seeking to replace the Medical Council of India with the National Medical Commission, had been introduced in the Lok Sabha in December last year and is pending. President Ram Nath Kovind had signed the ordinance to this effect in September.
“Hence, it has been decided to supersede the Medical Council of India and entrust its affairs to a Board of Governors consisting of eminent doctors for a period of one year or until the said Council is reconstituted, whichever is earlier,” read the bill.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar introduced the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which aims to establish a university in Andhra Pradesh in order to provide the tribal population higher education and research facilities.
“There shall be established a tribal university, which shall be a body corporate to be known as the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh having its territorial jurisdiction extending to the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, to provide avenues of higher education and research facilities primarily for the tribal population of India,” it said.
After the bills were introduced on Friday, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till Monday following an uproar over the Rafale deal.
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