Exit Exams for MBBS final year students on cards

In order to make sure that the standard of medical colleges remains intact and the doctors in produces remain at the best of their capabilities, the government of India is planning for major changes in the health education sector. Planning of taking an exit exam of the final year MBBS students of government and private medical colleges is one such step that is under deliberation.

The Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, is currently heading a committee which is considering quite a lot of changes in the overall pattern of medical sector in the country and the way it functions. The additional principal secretary of Prime Minister, PK Mishra and Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant are the other members in the committee.

The panel comprising of these members is deliberating the idea of scrapping the Medical Council of India altogether and replace it with a new body called National Medical Commission. The NMC would have four independent boards that would take care of four different parts of medical education namely- undergraduate and post graduate education, accreditation and rating of the medical and dental colleges, medical register and ethics.

According to the committee the NEET from the next academic year for medical and dental examination, exit exam and setting up of new regulator would collectively make the system of medical education more formalized and free and fair education could be provided to the students across the country. The NMC, which is still at the stage of a blueprint development, would be responsible for taking the medical education of the nation at par with the global standards.

The NMC would have 19- 20 members, who would belong to other fields such as economics, law and management and related trade to make sure that there is no dearth of resources in the commission. The tenure of the members would be five years and rather than selection of the candidates from within, there would be election conducted by the high powered search-cum-selection committees under NMC.

The government is also planning to create a Medical Advisory Council, which would host members from states like an eminent professor from any medical college. NMC members would also take part in the council as an advisory. The government is eager on placing the bill for NMC soon in the Parliament as the parliamentary committee had strongly recommended revamping the MCI claiming that it has not conducted its role effectively and is a huge reason for the failure of medical system in the country.