Parliament cleared the amended Indian Medical Council Act bill on Thursday, Aug 26.

The bill proposed to reconstitute the Medical Council of India (MCI) within one year and establish a board of governors, which will the incharge of the MCI's functions.


Registering medical practitioners, monitors and gives recognition to medical colleges, and degrees to doctors were among the functions, done by MCI.

The health minister said that there was shortage of 5.5 lakh doctors and the government had drawn up innovative plans to meet the requirement of medical staff in rural areas.

The population to doctor ratio in urban areas was 2,000:1 while it was 9,500:1 for rural areas, informed the health ministry.