The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved dropping the controversial idea of a “bridge course” for Ayush practitioners for dispensing modern medicines.
It also approved dropping the national level exit exams for MBBS graduates.
The Cabinet took the decision following the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health that did not favour either of the two provisions.
“The provision dealing with bridge course for Ayush (Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) practitioners to practise modern medicine to a limited extent has been removed. It has been left to the states to take measures for addressing and promoting primary health care in rural areas,” said a Cabinet press note.
The controversial idea was considered as an option to find manpower for 1.5 lakh sub-centres that would have been converted into health and wellness centres for promoting preventive healthcare.
On the proposed national level licentiate examination, the Cabinet decided to drop the idea in favour of the MBBS final examination, which would be a common exam throughout the country and would serve as an exit test to be called the National Exit Test.
“The students would not have to appear in a separate exam after MBBS to get a license to practice. NEXT would also serve as the screening test for doctors with foreign medical qualifications in order to practice in India,” said the Cabinet note.
In addition, it has also been agreed that the NMC will regulate fee of 50% of seats in private medical colleges — a 10% rise from the original proposal.
Monetary penalty for a medical college non-compliant with the norms has been replaced with provision for graded penalty options.
The new norms provide different options for a warning, reasonable monetary penalty, reducing intake and stoppage of admission leading up to the withdrawal of recognition.
Responding to the demands from states to increase their representation in the NMC, the nominees of states and union territories in the NMC have been increased from 3 to 6. The NMC will now comprise 25 members of which at least 21 will be doctors.
A new clause has been introduced to stop quackery. The punishment for any unauthorised practice of medicine has been made severe by including a provision for an imprisonment of up to one year along with a fine extending up to Rs 5 lakhs. (DH)
