New Delhi: Several key positions remain vacant in the National Medical Commission (NMC), the regulatory body overseeing medical education and practice in India. According to a Right to Information (RTI) response, 10 out of 19 posts are currently unoccupied.
- Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PMEB): Two posts are vacant here. This board regulates postgraduate and super-speciality medical courses in medical colleges.
- Undergraduate Medical Education Board: Three positions are not filled. This board is responsible for regulating undergraduate medical courses.
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB): Four posts are vacant at this board, which evaluates medical colleges and inspects them for quality standards, as well as granting permissions for new colleges to operate.
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB): Three out of five positions remain vacant, including the post of the president. This board handles cases of professional misconduct and is responsible for licensing doctors through state medical councils.
The Union Ministry of Health has indicated that appointments for these vacant positions are under process. The NMC, established in 2020 to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI), has faced scrutiny in the past, particularly regarding internal conflicts, reluctance to make inspection reports public, and a controversial change in its official logo.