MCI needs to introspect, fast

With an inquiry already underway into the alleged money-for-seat scam involving functionaries of two private Tamil Nadu medical colleges, one hopes that the issue shall not die down at this early stage itself.

Most inquiries into issues related to corruption in high office reach a dead end and the process of fixing fault usually takes long, with several rounds of committees and inquiry panels being constituted.

But it would be in the larger public interest to prevent the matter from being put on the back burner so easily.

From the perspective of the MCI and its chief Ketan Desai, it would be good if issues related to alleged seeking of capitation fee by medical colleges can be treated as a matter separate from those related to facilities and infrastructure in these colleges and deemed universities.

Desai’s view that even UGC comes into play while dealing with deemed universities carries weight.

While it is easy to heap the entire blame on Desai’s head for the alleged corrupt practices in some private medical colleges, one cannot ignore the fact that his role is limited to owning up responsibility for the collective inability of MCI, UGC and Health Ministry in checking the menace of capitation fee.

Apart from some introspection, Desai and his team would do good by drawing a lesson or two from the Tamil Nadu episode.

The most crucial one could be that seeking capitation fee from students could be included in the list of grounds on which a private medical college’s derecognition could be recommended by a regulatory body like the MCI.

But the crucial aspect, as in most cases related to corruption in public places, is to prove the allegations.

Hopefully, the current probe by the executive committee will succeed in nailing the culprits and restoring public faith in the system that governs medical education in the country.

For more information visit:http://drketandesai.com/

Is this a systemic failure or that of MCI alone?

The recent expose pointing towards private colleges allegedly flouting rules and collecting capitation fee has suddenly shifted the focus on the Medical Council of India and its role in regulating medical colleges, and in the process, bringing unnecessary disrepute to the noble profession and the capability of Indian doctors.

Without commenting on the merits of the case involving the two Tamil Nadu colleges, one thing that can safely be assumed about the recent turn of events is that the malaise is in our academic system - which needs an overhaul – and not the approach of individuals.

In fact, the same can be said about other bodies regulating private institutions of higher education in other streams. The Bar Council of India, for instance, which oversees the functioning of private law colleges, has also been under the scanner of courts for its inability to discipline private law colleges which have failed to maintain high standards of education.  

So, is the case of other questions related to MCI and its working? Is it possible for a statutory body like MCI to be hijacked by its chief in the way it is being made out to be? Is the system so weak that other stakeholders like the Ministry of health and the HRD ministry can be taken for a ride to such an extent that all rules can be manipulated to suit individuals?

Waiting for your comments folks…

President of the MCI Dr. Ketan Desai says, "A key area is projecting an academic face of the MCI"

Anecdotal references leads one to believe that the Medical Council of India (MCI), a statutory body regulating existing and new medical colleges across the country, is unpopular not only with institutions that need to work within its parameters but even with the ones that do not. This is of concern, especially because of the breadth of control vested with the Council which also maintains the “All India Medical Register” with a comprehensive list of people holding recognised medical qualification, or those who are registered with any of the state medical councils or MCI. In an email exchange with FE, Dr Ketan Desai, president of the MCI responded to questions regarding the Council’s reputation.

Why does MCI have such a controversial reputation?

The council is a regulatory authority expected to ensure stringent enforcement of prescribed norms for standard building in medical education. Because any compromise thereof, would not only result in generation of ‘compromised health professional’, but would also end up in adversely affecting the health care services in a big way. The stakes in medical education are high basically because private capital has come to stay in medical education in big way. Amongst several seekers for initiation of the medical institutions, for want of desired infrastructure, personnel and other things, good number of applications are turned down. It is these ‘refusals’, which are the cause of generation of an ill feeling and ending up in reckless criticism of the Council.

What are the areas that the organisation is struggling with?

The organisation is basically struggling with the intermittent position taken by the Government of India, wherein the recommendations of the MCI, which are borne out of its technical expertise are overruled by the ministry without assigning any cogent or credible reasons as to what have been availed by them towards the same. Likewise, the areas with which the Council is struggling pertain to accreditation of medical institutions in the country, incorporation of the concept of re-registration of registered medical practitioners in the Indian Medical Register, on the basis of the award of credit hours, prescribing of service and working conditions for medical teachers in the country including payable wage structure for them like University Grants Commission in case of higher education and allocation of ‘developmental funds’, resulting in the desired development of medical institutions and medical education.

What is MCI’s reputation amongst its constituent colleges?

The perception about the MCI amongst all the medical institutions in the country is that of an effective regulator, which does not just do ‘policing job’ but ends up in ‘polishing’ them for inculcation of better standards.

What are some key areas that MCI is going to work on going forward?

The key areas include projection of an ‘academic face’ of the MCI, so as to ensure incorporation of global standards. Continuous generation of innovations in teaching, leaning and evaluation process, tools, techniques and methodologies of teaching, updates of course contents, periodic training of trainers and incorporating quality assurances in an entire gamut of medical education.

What are some of the accomplishments of the MCI in the last 18 to 24 months?

Year 2008 was the platinum jubilee year of the MCI. During the period 27 themes were chosen which were of vital concern having an impact on the fate and future of medical education and were circulated amongst all the medical institutions in the country for holding of symposia/ seminar/ workshop on any one of the themes. 195 institutional workshops were held and also 13 regional workshops were organized on these themes. The deliberations and recommendations were compiled in the souvenir, specially brought out towards commemoration of platinum jubilee celebrations of MCI. Other initiatives are in the area of curriculum updates, faculty development, recognition of accreditation availed in India by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation of USA.