Medical Council of India – the debate goes on …

An editorial by Dr George Thomas in IJME rightly points out the flaws in the constitution of the Medical Council of India (MCI) (1). Amendments are made over and over again, but the need of the hour is to make real changes in the existing system. The conduct of the elections and government control over MCI adulterates the components of the system. Looking at the situation from a student’s perspective, MCI has never been very promising for the student community either. “Doctor politicians” rule elections even at the state government level, as has been mentioned. How ethical would it be for a teaching doctor to rope in students to canvas for the various council elections? My personal experience has shown me that these “gurus”, who should be helping students to learn to save lives, instead make them feel that they have done them a favour and that they can be assured of passing the examinations.

The MCI has also been making various changes in various components of the system. From elections to examinations – it is a new experiment every year. Elections end up being given precedence, while the student programmes hang in mid-air for long years. The MCI has tried to experiment with the entrance examination system as well. As we had argued in a previous paper (2), the MCI Vision 2015 is nowhere near being a success. No noticeable initiative seems to have been taken to start the programme, let alone launch it as a full-fledged model by 2015. The woes of students aspiring for a good career are never-ending. The common entrance examination system in India was a big disappointment. The current system of online examinations is not promising either. Technical flaws and improper management have been passed off as just bad luck for the student.

It is also time for the younger generation to explore and analyse what is best for it. What everyone is doing is following the regulations, but it is essential for the student community to make an effort as they know best what they want. It is of prime importance that the newly elected members of the MCI should make sincere efforts as they are the ones who play a key role in deciding the quality of the future medical community of our country (3). The debate goes on, as always, but the students are still waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel.