SC approves panel to supervise MCI
The Centre has nominated five eminent doctors as members of the oversight committee to supervise the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI), which the Supreme Court approved on Tuesday.
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar noted the doctors proposed are “all outstanding people with impeccable integrity”. But it wondered whether they would have time to carry out the task of hearing the grievances of private colleges against the MCI – the regulator for medical profession and education in the country.
“We don’t have slightest of the doubt that people nominated are with impeccable integrity. However, will they be able to take out time? I am a patient of some. If they don’t have time for the CJI then how they can out time for the MCI,” Justice Khehar asked solicitor general Ranjit Kumar when he placed the names before the bench.
The list was prepared in response to the top court asking the government on Monday to take a stand on whether it wanted to continue with Justice Lodha committee. SC had on May 2 last year constituted the Justice Lodha committee for a year or till a suitable mechanism was brought by the Centre .
However, the government neither extended Justice Lodha panel’s term nor evolved a procedure to monitor MCI’s functioning. This prompted some private medical colleges to approach SC.
In Tuesday’s hearing, Kumar informed the court the government had taken the consent of the doctors. He said the panel can start functioning and the government will approach the court if there is a need for modification.
Accepting Kumar’s suggestion, the court allowed the government to notify the panel. It refused to take into account an experts’ list the private medical colleges had prepared. “We do not want to become a party to this. It’s their (government’s) prerogative,” the court told senior advocate Kapil Sibal when he on behalf of some colleges wished to suggest some names.
SC REFUSED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AN EXPERTS’ LIST PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES HAD PREPARED