The protest in Kolkata on Thursday. Tirthankar Saha
All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) Wednesday protested on the premises of NRS Hospital in Kolkata against some changes proposed in National Medical Commission Bill (NMC) by a parliamentary panel.
Raising slogans, the protesters even burnt a copy of the Bill.
The Bill provides for the constitution of a commission by that name to replace elected Medical Council of India (MCI). Four boards – dealing with undergraduate, postgraduate medical education, medical assessment and rating board and the ethics and medical registration board – will regulate the sector. It was sent to the standing committee for health and family welfare during the Winter Session. AIDSO said the changes proposed are an “eyewash”.
“The standing committee has recommended to increase the number of representatives from 25 to 29. We want all representatives to be selected by an independent body… If the government selects representatives, then decisions taken by them would be biased towards the government,” said Dr Kabiul Hoque, state AIDSO committee member.
“Our appeal… is to scrap the Bill. We insist that the Centre take stringent measures against MCI members who are corrupt and ensure its democratic functioning,” he added.
The standing committee in its report tabled on Tuesday proposed several other changes, including government regulation of fee for 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges.