Supreme Court Takes Over MCI

"The medical graduates lack competence in performing basic health care tasks. Instances of unethical practices continued to grow. The MCI was not able to spearhead any serious reforms in medical education. The MCI neither represented the professional excellence nor its ethos," said Justice A K Sikri,

He wrote the judgment for the five-judge Constitution bench comprising of:

• Justice A R Dave
• Justice R K Agrawal
• Justice A K Goel
• Justice R Banumathi

The Supreme Court on Monday appointed a high-powered committee headed by former CJI R M Lodha to clean up the mess MCI have made by taking over the functions of MCI.

The order signals the end of the road for MCI that has been in the midst of controversies since its president Ketan Mehta was arrested in a corruption case. The government has been actively considering scrapping MCI in its present form.

So, the committee will function till the Centre puts in place a new mechanism for regulation by amending the statute or bringing a new legislation.

The court said that the law needs to be amended as the Centre has no power under the present system to disagree with MCI and give policy directives to the regulatory body.

"The existing system of graduate medical education is required to be re-invented. The admission process was not satisfactory as majority of seats in private medical colleges were being allotted for capitation fee. The system keeps out most meritorious and underprivileged students," the bench said.

"It is to be borne in mind is that the occupation of education cannot be treated at par with other economic activities. In this field, the State cannot remain a mute spectator and has to necessarily step in in order to prevent exploitation, privatization and commercialisation by the private sector," the bench said.