NMC vs MCI: In September 2020, the Government of India replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the National Medical Commission (NMC) with the promise of clean governance, transparency, and improved quality of medical education. The change was celebrated as a “historic reform”. Many believed that the new system would modernise medical education and end the corruption and inefficiencies that had surrounded MCI.
Nearly five years later, the performance of the NMC has become a topic of strong debate. In a recent report the Lancet slammed NMC and called it just re-branded MCI.
Several policy decisions, internal challenges, allegations of corruption, and regulatory confusion have raised important questions about whether the NMC has truly been able to deliver what it promised.
This article digs deep in the NMC vs MCI debate and try to find out answer of if “has the “historic reform” delivered?” . We will be doing A 5-year review of India’s Medical Education Regulator.
Why Was MCI Dissolved?
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was established in 1933 and continued under the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956. It was once a respected body. However, over several years, multiple issues degraded its credibility.
Join NEET News 2025 Key Problems with MCI
- Political influence and lobbying in council elections.
- Irregular approval processes for medical colleges and seat expansions.
- Limited inspection transparency.
- Outdated curriculum with slow updates, not aligned with modern medical practice.
- Concerns of commercialization of medical education through capitation fees.
- Weak oversight on training quality and clinical exposure.
A 2016 report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on reform of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 called the situation a “deep systemic failure” and recommended fundamental restructuring instead of minor reforms.
| The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare released its 92nd report in March 2016. The report said that the Medical Council of India (MCI) had many problems and was involved in unfair practices. It suggested that the entire system for regulating medical education should be changed. The committee recommended creating a new regulatory body chosen through an independent process, including non-medical experts in the Ethics Committee, merging the university and NBE postgraduate systems into one national qualification, and making a system to ensure medical colleges are spread more evenly across the country. |
This report became the foundation for the establishment of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Why Was the NMC Introduced?
The objective behind creating the NMC was to build a structured, multi-layered, and accountable regulatory system that could reduce corruption, standardize quality, and encourage better access to medical education.
Primary Goals of NMC
- Improve governance and transparency.
- Standardise medical curriculum to match global standards.
- Ensure ethical medical practice.
- Make medical education more affordable and accessible.
- Strengthen the competency and skill levels of medical graduates.
- Increase healthcare workforce in rural and underserved areas.
The idea was to shift from a permission-based system to an outcome-based system.
Structural Difference: NMC vs MCI
Organisational Framework Comparison
| Feature | MCI | NMC |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Governance | Single council | Commission + independent boards |
| Selection of Members | Mostly elected | Mostly nominated to reduce lobbying |
| Oversight | Limited cross-checking | Multi-layer oversight with checks and balances |
| Curriculum Updates | Rare and slow | Regular and competency-based updates |
| Focus Area | Regulation and inspection | Training quality, skill orientation, and ethics |
Boards Under NMC
- Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB): Handles MBBS curriculum, teaching methodology, and assessment standards.
- Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB): Supervises MD/MS and super-specialty training standards.
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB): Approves new medical colleges, seat expansions, and evaluates compliance based on academic quality and patient load instead of buildings alone.
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB): Maintains the medical register and enforces professional ethics.
This multi-board system spreads accountability and makes manipulation harder.
Key Reforms Introduced by NMC
Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME)
Instead of memorization-heavy learning, CBME focuses on:
- Clinical reasoning
- Patient communication
- Diagnostic decision-making
- Hands-on skill training
Students now must complete skill logs and demonstrate competency before passing.
Regulation of Fees
NMC fee guidelines directed that 50 percent of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities must have fees equivalent to government quota levels. This brought relief to many middle-class families.
Stricter College Approval Norms
Under NMC, a medical college:
- Must demonstrate real, consistent patient load.
- Must have qualified, full-time faculty.
- Cannot rely only on infrastructure investments to get approval.
This reduces the rise of “shell” colleges with low clinical exposure.
NExT/FMGE Reforms
NMC proposed replacing NEET PG and FMGE with a single National Exit Test (NExT) that:
- Acts as final MBBS exam
- Allows for PG admission ranking
- Licenses graduates to practice
This standardizes physician skill levels across India.
Focus on Ethical Practice
EMRB enforces clear guidelines on:
- Communication with patients
- Informed consent
- Professional misconduct consequences
Doctors are expected to uphold transparency and patient welfare above commercial motives.
NMC vs MCI: A 5-Year Review of India’s Medical Education Regulator
Increase in Medical Colleges and Seats
The number of MBBS and PG seats has increased sharply, which has expanded opportunities for students.
However, experts argue that infrastructure, faculty availability, and teaching quality have not grown at the same pace. This has raised concerns about the competence of future doctors.
NExT Exam Still Uncertain
The National Exit Test (NExT) was planned as a single national examination. Due to widespread protests and lack of clarity, it has been delayed multiple times and remains unimplemented.
Read Also: NMC NExT Exam 2025: Why It is Being Delayed?
Fee Regulation Not Enforced
NMC had announced that half of the seats in private medical colleges would have government-level fees, but the decision was challenged in courts and never came into effect.
National Medical Register Has Not Progressed
The centralized online register meant to list all doctors in the country is still incomplete.
Policy Revisions and U-Turns
Several guidelines, including CBME curriculum and generic drug prescription rules, were introduced and later withdrawn or amended due to criticism.
Allegations and Controversies
Recent investigations have raised concerns about:
- Sharing of confidential regulatory information
- Manipulation of college inspection processes
- Bribes for favorable accreditation
These issues resemble the very problems NMC was supposed to solve after replacing MCI.
Some doctors also express concern about political and ideological influence, especially regarding:
- Promotion of integration between modern medicine and traditional systems
- Changes to official symbols, communication, and program structures
Read Also: NEET UG Scams: Paper Leak, Marks Manipulation & NTA Credibility Crisis
Why Medical Fraternities Are Worried
Many senior doctors believe that:
- Expansion of seats is happening without ensuring quality
- Faculty shortages are being handled poorly
- Medical education is becoming more commercial and less skill-based
They worry that future patient safety may be at risk if training continues to weaken.
Is NMC a Failed Reform?
It may be early to declare the NMC a failure. Some improvements, such as increasing seat availability and updating certain academic frameworks, are visible.
However, the core promises of transparency, strong regulatory standards, and academic quality have not been fully met.
The commission requires:
- Better leadership stability
- Stronger inspection standards
- Reduced political and bureaucratic interference
- More academic and scientific autonomy
The National Medical Commission (NMC) was expected to modernize India’s medical education system and restore trust. While progress has been made in expanding medical education capacity, serious challenges remain. Quality standards, transparency, and regulatory consistency need urgent attention.
Whether NMC can deliver on its original vision will depend on how effectively these issues are addressed in the coming years.
