New Delhi: The Union Cabinet was on Thursday
understood to have decided in principle to dissolve the
Medical Council of India whose chief Ketan Desai has been
arrested by the CBI on graft charges.
The Cabinet at its meeting also decided to replace the MCI
by a seven-member body of eminent doctors which will look
after the functions of the MCI, sources said.
Desai, who was arrested on April 22 by CBI for allegedly
accepting bribe to give permission to a Punjab medical college
to recruit a fresh batch of students without having requisite
infrastructure, has already submitted his resignation to MCI
Vice-President P C Kesavankutty Nair.
The MCI Vice-President has forwarded the resignation
letter to the Health Ministry.
The main functions of the MCI, set up under the Indian
Medical Council Act, 1933, are to ensure uniform standards in
medical education and grant of recognition to medical degrees
awarded in India and abroad.
Medical colleges across the country require MCI`s
permission to increase the number of seats, to set up new
medical college, to add new courses and also to increase
student intake.
PTI
