The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019

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Recently,  Parliament passed the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 

About the bill

• The Bill seeks to repeal the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970
• The bill creates a framework for regulation of education and practice of these systems of medicine

Key features of the bill 

• • The Bill provides for the establishment of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM).

• Composition of & tenure of NCISM: 

• The NCISM will consist of 29 members, appointed by the central government.  

• A Search Committee will recommend names to the central government for the post of Chairperson, part time members, and presidents of the four autonomous boards set up under the NCISM.  

• These posts will have a maximum term of four years.  

• The Search Committee will consist of five members including the Cabinet Secretary and three experts nominated by the central government (of which two should have experience in any of the fields of Indian System of Medicine).

• According to the bill within three years of the passage of the Bill, state governments will establish State Medical Councils for Indian System of Medicine at the state level.
• Functions of NCISM:

• • Framing policies for regulating medical institutions and medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine,
  • Assessing the requirements of healthcare related human resources and infrastructure
  • Ensuring compliance by the State Medical Councils of Indian System of Medicine of the regulations made under the Bill, and 
  • Ensuring coordination among the autonomous boards set up under the Bill.
• Autonomous boards under the supervision of the NCISM: bill also proposes to set up following boards;
  • The Board of Ayurveda and the Board of Unani, Siddha, and Sowa-Rigpa:  They will be responsible for formulating standards, curriculum, guidelines for setting up of medical institutions, and granting recognition to medical qualifications at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in their respective disciplines
  • The Medical Assessment and Rating Board for Indian System of Medicine:  It determine the process of rating and assessment of medical institutions and have the power to levy monetary penalties on institutions which fail to maintain the minimum standards  It will also grant permission for establishing a new medical institution
  • The Ethics and Medical Registration Board:  It will maintain a National Register of all licensed medical practitioners of Indian System of Medicine, and regulate their professional conduct.  
• Under the Bill, the central government will constitute an Advisory Council for Indian System of Medicine which will be the primary platform through which the states/union territories can put forth their views and concerns before the NCISM.  
• Further, the Council will advise the NCISM on measures to determine and maintain the minimum standards of medical education.
• There will be a uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to under-graduate education in each of the disciplines of the Indian System of Medicine in all medical institutions regulated by the Bill.  
• The Bill proposes a common final year National Exit Test for the students graduating from medical institutions to obtain the license for practice.  
• Further, there will be a uniform post-graduate National Entrance Test which will be conducted separately for admission into post-graduate courses in each of the disciplines of the Indian System of Medicine in all medical institutions.
• The Bill also proposes a National Teachers’ Eligibility Test for postgraduates of each discipline of Indian System of Medicine who wish to take up teaching that particular discipline as a profession.

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