The National Medical Commission (NMC) is a statutory regulatory authority overseeing medical education and professionals in India. It is an institution established under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which was enacted by the Parliament. The NMC officially came into force on September 25, 2020, replacing the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI). The MCI was dissolved by virtue of Section 60(1) of the NMC Act, 2019, which also repealed the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The primary problem the NMC was created to solve was the need for a more transparent, accountable, and high-quality medical education system, following scrutiny and allegations of malpractices against the MCI.
The mechanism of the NMC involves regulating medical institutions, granting recognition to medical qualifications, and enforcing ethical standards. A key provision of the Act is the establishment of four autonomous boards under the NMC: the Undergraduate Medical Education Board, the Postgraduate Medical Education Board, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board, and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board. The NMC is also tasked with framing guidelines for the determination of fees for up to 50% of the seats in private medical institutions and deemed universities. Furthermore, the Act connects to the concept of a common final year undergraduate examination, the National Exit Test (NEXT), which will serve as a licentiate exam for all medical graduates and for admission to postgraduate medical courses. The NMC's aim is to improve access to quality and affordable medical education and ensure the availability of high-quality medical professionals across the country.