National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill 2019

News: Rajya Sabha has passed the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill 2019

Facts:

About National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill 2019

  • It seeks to repeal the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970
  • Objectives:
    • To ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine, 
    • To ensure adoption of the latest medical research by medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine, 
    • To ensure periodic assessment of medical institutions, 
    • To ensure an effective grievance redressal mechanism.

Key features:

  • It provides for the establishment of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM). The NCISM will have the following functions:
    • 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, 
    • ensuring coordination among the autonomous boards set up under the Bill.
  • It sets up certain autonomous boards under the supervision of the NCISM.These boards are:
    • Board of Ayurveda and the Board of Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa
    • Medical Assessment and Rating Board for Indian System of Medicine
    • Ethics and Medical Registration Board.
  • The central government will constitute an Advisory Council for Indian System of Medicine.  The Council will be the primary platform through which the states/union territories can put forth their views and concerns before the NCISM
  • 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.