Rajya Sabha passes National Medical Commission Bill

The Rajya Sabha has passed the National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 with few amendments. 

The bill will be again sent to the Lok Sabha for approval. The Bill seeks to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. 

Replying to a debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said, the legislation will bring major reform in the medical education in the country. 

He assured the members that government will also put a cap on the fee on the fifty per cent of those seats in private medical colleges which are not regulated by NMC. 

Talking about the Bill, Dr. V K Paul, Member Niti Aayog, said, the government will only advice the National Medical Commission. 

He added that one nation one exit exam will ensure the quality of health professionals and will act as a filter in the field of the medical profession.

The Parliament has passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, POCSO, 2019, Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill 2019 and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill 2019 with the Lok Sabha approving the Bills



yesterday. The Rajya Sabha has already passed the Bills. 

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, POCSO, 2019 seeks to enhance punishment for sexual offences against children, with a provision of the death penalty. 

To curb child pornography, the Bill provides that those who use a child for pornographic purposes should be punished with imprisonment up to five years and fine. 

The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 provides for a time-bound settlement of disputes as well as accountability of the arbitrator. It also seeks to establish an independent body called the Arbitration Council of India (ACI) for the promotion of arbitration, mediation, conciliation and other alternative dispute redressal mechanisms. 

The Council would be mandated to frame policies for grading arbitral institutions and accrediting arbitrators. 

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill 2019 is aimed at providing greater clarity on the permissibility of corporate restructuring schemes and clarity on rights and duties of authorised representatives of voters.