Withdraw NMC Bill, school forum urges Centre

In a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, SPCSC said health is a state subject, while medical education falls under the concurrent list.

Since the burden of providing medical care to people falls on the State, the Central government cannot bring in a legislation on subjects that may affect the State’s obligation, the memorandum said.

According to SPCSC, the legislation will impair the task of creating adequate number of doctors belonging to the local state to work in Public Health Centres (PHCs).

As far as the regulation of universities is concerned, the power of the State over the Centre has been clearly established in the constitution as well as by the Supreme Court in its recent judgment, it said.

Raising concerns over the lack of adequate representation to the States, the memorandum said, “At any point of time, a large number of States and UTs will remain unrepresented in the proposed NMC. This is against the federal spirit of the constitution”. 

Highlighting the need to plug loopholes in the Medical Council of India (MCI), the organisation demanded free and fair elections to the council.

“The Centre could consider holding online elections to the MCI, thereby ensuring more transparency and professionalism,” it said, adding that strengthening the MCI is the need of the hour and not its dissolution.