Centre appoints 5 docs on Oversight Committee to keep MCI in check

The Centre appointed five eminent doctors in the oversight committee which would replace a Supreme Court-appointed panel led by former Chief Justice RM Lodha to supervise the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI).  

A five-judge Constitution Bench accepted the five names the Centre submitted before them. Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS at Delhi; VK Paul, Professor and Head of Paediatrics, AIIMS; Nikhil Tandon, Professor and Head of Endocrinology, AIIMS; Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER at Chandigarh and BN Gangadharan, Director of NIMHANS at Bengaluru, were suggested by the Centre for the panel. 

“We accept the proposal made to this court by Ranjit Kumar, Solicitor General of India on behalf of the Union of India. We grant liberty to the Union of India to nominate one of the members of the reconstituted Oversight Committee, as its Chairperson,” a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said.

“All decisions/recommendations of MCI will require approval of oversight committee before they are communicated to the Central Government,” the apex court said.

However, the bench cautioned that the functions of oversight committee “are clearly limited to oversee the activities of the MCI.”

“The decision in all matters required to be determined by the Government of India, shall be that of the Government of India,” the bench said.