Question : MEDICAL EDUCATION

(a) whether the Medical Council of India (MCI) had released a reform document that proposed major changes to the MBBS curriculum in the country;

(b) if so, whether MCI had set up a Working Group for the above purpose;

(c) if so, the details of the recommendations made by the said Working Group to make undergraduate medical education in India comparable to global standards;

(d) the follow up action taken/proposed by the MCI/Government thereon; and

(e) the other measures taken/proposed by the Government to raise the quality of medical education in the country?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)

(a): Yes.

(b): Yes.

(c) & (d): The Undergraduate Working Group, constituted by the Board of Governors (BoG) of Medical Council of India (MCI), recommended the introduction of four new teaching elements viz.
(i) foundation course;
(ii) early clinical exposure;
(iii) clinical skills teaching and
(iv) horizontal and vertical integration in the undergraduate curriculum. The recommendations of the Working Group have been accepted by the BoG of MCI after discussion in the Academic Council and MCI has revised its Regulations on Graduate Medical Education after incorporating some changes made on the basis of the comments received on the recommendations. The revised regulations will be notified with the approval of Central Government.

(e): The MCI is a statutory body with the responsibility of establishing and maintaining high standards of medical education and recognition of medical qualifications in the country. The Council proposes measures to improve the quality of medical education in the country and accordingly these are notified with the previous approval of the Government from time to time.