Archive for category: MCI

Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002

CHAPTER I

1. CODE OF MEDICAL ETHICS

A. Declaration:

Each applicant, at the time of making an application for registration under the provisions of the Act, shall be provided a copy of the declaration and shall submit a duly signed Declaration as provided in Appendix 1. The applicant shall also certify that he/she had read and agreed to abide by the same.

B. Duties and responsibilities of the Physician in general:

1.1 Character of Physician (Doctors with qualification of MBBS or MBBS with post graduate degree/ diploma or with equivalent qualification in any medical discipline):

1.1.1 A physician shall uphold the dignity and honour of his profession.

1.1.2 The prime object of the medical profession is to render service to humanity; reward or financial gain is a subordinate consideration. Who- so-ever chooses his profession, assumes the obligation to conduct himself in accordance with its ideals. A physician should be an upright man, instructed in the art of healings. He shall keep himself pure in character and be diligent in caring for the sick; he should be modest, sober, patient, prompt in discharging his duty without anxiety; conducting himself with propriety in his profession and in all the actions of his life.

1.1.3 No person other than a doctor having qualification recognised by Medical Council of India and registered with Medical Council of India/State Medical Council (s) is allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine or Surgery. A person obtaining qualification in any other system of Medicine is not allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine in any form.

1.2 Maintaining good medical practice:

1.2.1 The Principal objective of the medical profession is to render service to humanity with full respect for the dignity of profession and man. Physicians should merit the confidence of patients entrusted to their care, rendering to each a full measure of service and devotion. Physicians should try continuously to improve medical knowledge and skills and should make available to their patients and colleagues the benefits of their professional attainments. The physician should practice methods of healing founded on scientific basis and should not associate professionally with anyone who violates this principle. The honoured ideals of the medical profession imply that the responsibilities of the physician extend not only to individuals but also to society.

1.2.2 Membership in Medical Society: For the advancement of his profession, a physician should affiliate with associations and societies of allopathic medical professions and involve actively in the functioning of such bodies.

1.2.3 A Physician should participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Medical Education programmes, for at least 30 hours every five years, organized by reputed professional academic bodies or any other authorized organisations. The compliance of this requirement shall be informed regularly to Medical Council of India or the State Medical Councils as the case may be.

1.3 Maintenance of medical records:

1.3.1 Every physician shall maintain the medical records pertaining to his / her indoor patients for a period of 3 years from the date of commencement of the treatment in a standard proforma laid down by the Medical Council of India and attached as Appendix 3.

1.3.2. If any request is made for medical records either by the patients / authorised attendant or legal authorities involved, the same may be duly acknowledged and documents shall be issued within the period of 72 hours.

1.3.3 A Registered medical practitioner shall maintain a Register of Medical Certificates giving full details of certificates issued. When issuing a medical certificate he / she shall always enter the identification marks of the patient and keep a copy of the certificate. He / She shall not omit to record the signature and/or thumb mark, address and at least one identification mark of the patient on the medical certificates or report. The medical certificate shall be prepared as in Appendix 2.

1.3.4 Efforts shall be made to computerize medical records for quick retrieval.

1.4 Display of registration numbers:

1.4.1 Every physician shall display the registration number accorded to him by the State Medical Council / Medical Council of India in his clinic and in all his prescriptions, certificates, money receipts given to his patients.

1.4.2 Physicians shall display as suffix to their names only recognized medical degrees or such certificates/diplomas and memberships/honours which confer professional knowledge or recognizes any exemplary qualification/achievements.

1.5 Use of Generic names of drugs: Every physician should, as far as possible, prescribe drugs with generic names and he / she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs.

1.6 Highest Quality Assurance in patient care: Every physician should aid in safeguarding the profession against admission to it of those who are deficient in moral character or education. Physician shall not employ in connection with his professional practice any attendant who is neither registered nor enlisted under the Medical Acts in force and shall not permit such persons to attend, treat or perform operations upon patients wherever professional discretion or skill is required.

1.7 Exposure of Unethical Conduct: A Physician should expose, without fear or favour, incompetent or corrupt, dishonest or unethical conduct on the part of members of the profession.

1.8 Payment of Professional Services: The physician, engaged in the practice of medicine shall give priority to the interests of patients. The personal financial interests of a physician should not conflict with the medical interests of patients. A physician should announce his fees before rendering service and not after the operation or treatment is under way. Remuneration received for such services should be in the form and amount specifically announced to the patient at the time the service is rendered. It is unethical to enter into a contract of “no cure no payment”. Physician rendering service on behalf of the state shall refrain from anticipating or accepting any consideration.

1.9 Evasion of Legal Restrictions: The physician shall observe the laws of the country in regulating the practice of medicine and shall also not assist others to evade such laws. He should be cooperative in observance and enforcement of sanitary laws and regulations in the interest of public health. A physician should observe the provisions of the State Acts like Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Pharmacy Act, 1948; Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, 1985; Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971; Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994; Mental Health Act, 1987; Environmental Protection Act, 1986; Pre–natal Sex Determination Test Act, 1994; Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954; Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities and Full Participation) Act, 1995 and Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 and such other Acts, Rules, Regulations made by the Central/State Governments or local Administrative Bodies or any other relevant Act relating to the protection and promotion of public health.

CHAPTER 22. DUTIES OF PHYSICIANS TO THEIR PATIENTS

2.1 Obligations to the Sick

2.1.1 Though a physician is not bound to treat each and every person asking his services, he should not only be ever ready to respond to the calls of the sick and the injured, but should be mindful of the high character of his mission and the responsibility he discharges in the course of his professional duties. In his treatment, he should never forget that the health and the lives of those entrusted to his care depend on his skill and attention. A physician should endeavour to add to the comfort of the sick by making his visits at the hour indicated to the patients. A physician advising a patient to seek service of another physician is acceptable, however, in case of emergency a physician must treat the patient. No physician shall arbitrarily refuse treatment to a patient. However for good reason, when a patient is suffering from an ailment which is not within the range of experience of the treating physician, the physician may refuse treatment and refer the patient to another physician.

2.1.2 Medical practitioner having any incapacity detrimental to the patient or which can affect his performance vis-à-vis the patient is not permitted to practice his profession

2.2 Patience, Delicacy and Secrecy : Patience and delicacy should characterize the physician. Confidences concerning individual or domestic life entrusted by patients to a physician and defects in the disposition or character of patients observed during medical attendance should never be revealed unless their revelation is required by the laws of the State. Sometimes, however, a physician must determine whether his duty to society requires him to employ knowledge, obtained through confidence as a physician, to protect a healthy person against a communicable disease to which he is about to be exposed. In such instance, the physician should act as he would wish another to act toward one of his own family in like circumstances.

2.3 Prognosis: The physician should neither exaggerate nor minimize the gravity of a patient’s condition. He should ensure himself that the patient, his relatives or his responsible friends have such knowledge of the patient’s condition as will serve the best interests of the patient and the family.

2.4 The Patient must not be neglected: A physician is free to choose whom he will serve. He should, however, respond to any request for his assistance in an emergency. Once having undertaken a case, the physician should not neglect the patient, nor should he withdraw from the case without giving adequate notice to the patient and his family. Provisionally or fully registered medical practitioner shall not willfully commit an act of negligence that may deprive his patient or patients from necessary medical care.

2.5 Engagement for an Obstetric case: When a physician who has been engaged to attend an obstetric case is absent and another is sent for and delivery accomplished, the acting physician is entitled to his professional fees, but should secure the patient’s consent to resign on the arrival of the physician engaged.

CHAPTER 3

3.. DUTIES OF PHYSICIAN IN CONSULTATION3.1 Unnecessary consultations should be avoided

:3.1.1 However in case of serious illness and in doubtful or difficult conditions, the physician should request consultation, but under any circumstances such consultation should be justifiable and in the interest of the patient only and not for any other consideration.

3.1.2 Consulting pathologists /radiologists or asking for any other diagnostic Lab investigation should be done judiciously and not in a routine manner.

3.2 Consultation for Patient’s Benefit: In every consultation, the benefit to the patient is of foremost importance. All physicians engaged in the case should be frank with the patient and his attendants.

3.3 Punctuality in Consultation: Utmost punctuality should be observed by a physician in making themselves available for consultations.

3.4 Statement to Patient after Consultation:

3.4.1 All statements to the patient or his representatives should take place in the presence of the consulting physicians, except as otherwise agreed. The disclosure of the opinion to the patient or his relatives or friends shall rest with the medical attendant.

3.4.2 Differences of opinion should not be divulged unnecessarily but when there is irreconcilable difference of opinion the circumstances should be frankly and impartially explained to the patient or his relatives or friends. It would be opened to them to seek further advice as they so desire.

3.5 Treatment after Consultation: No decision should restrain the attending physician from making such subsequent variations in the treatment if any unexpected change occurs, but at the next consultation, reasons for the variations should be discussed/explained. The same privilege, with its obligations, belongs to the consultant when sent for in an emergency during the absence of attending physician. The attending physician may prescribe medicine at any time for the patient, whereas the consultant may prescribe only in case of emergency or as an expert when called for.

3.6 Patients Referred to Specialists: When a patient is referred to a specialist by the attending physician, a case summary of the patient should be given to the specialist, who should communicate his opinion in writing to the attending physician.

3.7 Fees and other charges:

3.7.1 A physician shall clearly display his fees and other charges on the board of his chamber and/or the hospitals he is visiting. Prescription should also make clear if the Physician himself dispensed any medicine.

3.7.2 A physician shall write his name and designation in full along with registration particulars in his prescription letter head.

Note: In Government hospital where the patient–load is heavy, the name of the prescribing doctor must be written below his/her signature.

CHAPTER 4

4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF PHYSICIANS TO EACH OTHERA physician should consider it as a pleasure and privilege to render gratuitous service to all physicians and their immediate family dependants.

4.2 Conduct in consultation : In consultations, no insincerity, rivalry or envy should be indulged in. All due respect should be observed towards the physician in-charge of the case and no statement or remark be made, which would impair the confidence reposed in him. For this purpose no discussion should be carried on in the presence of the patient or his representatives.

4.3 Consultant not to take charge of the case: When a physician has been called for consultation, the Consultant should normally not take charge of the case, especially on the solicitation of the patient or friends. The Consultant shall not criticize the referring physician. He / she shall discuss the diagnosis treatment plan with the referring physician.

4.4 Appointment of Substitute: Whenever a physician requests another physician to attend his patients during his temporary absence from his practice, professional courtesy requires the acceptance of such appointment only when he has the capacity to discharge the additional responsibility along with his / her other duties. The physician acting under such an appointment should give the utmost consideration to the interests and reputation of the absent physician and all such patients should be restored to the care of the latter upon his/her return.

4.5 Visiting another Physician’s Case: When it becomes the duty of a physician occupying an official position to see and report upon an illness or injury, he should communicate to the physician in attendance so as to give him an option of being present. The medical officer / physician occupying an official position should avoid remarks upon the diagnosis or the treatment that has been adopted.

CHAPTER 5

5 DUTIES OF PHYSICIAN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE PARAMEDICAL PROFESSION5.1 Physicians as Citizens: Physicians, as good citizens, possessed of special training should disseminate advice on public health issues. They should play their part in enforcing the laws of the community and in sustaining the institutions that advance the interests of humanity. They should particularly co-operate with the authorities in the administration of sanitary/public health laws and regulations.

5.2 Public and Community Health: Physicians, especially those engaged in public health work, should enlighten the public concerning quarantine regulations and measures for the prevention of epidemic and communicable diseases. At all times the physician should notify the constituted public health authorities of every case of communicable disease under his care, in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations of the health authorities. When an epidemic occurs a physician should not abandon his duty for fear of contracting the disease himself.

5.3 Pharmacists / Nurses: Physicians should recognize and promote the practice of different paramedical services such as, pharmacy and nursing as professions and should seek their cooperation wherever required.

CHAPTER 6

6. UNETHICAL ACTS :

A physician shall not aid or abet or commit any of the following acts which shall be construed as unethical –

6.1 Advertising:

6.1.1 Soliciting of patients directly or indirectly, by a physician, by a group of physicians or by institutions or organisations is unethical. A physician shall not make use of him / her (or his / her name) as subject of any form or manner of advertising or publicity through any mode either alone or in conjunction with others which is of such a character as to invite attention to him or to his professional position, skill, qualification, achievements, attainments, specialities, appointments, associations, affiliations or honours and/or of such character as would ordinarily result in his self aggrandizement. A physician shall not give to any person, whether for compensation or otherwise, any approval, recommendation, endorsement, certificate, report or statement with respect of any drug, medicine, nostrum remedy, surgical, or therapeutic article, apparatus or appliance or any commercial product or article with respect of any property, quality or use thereof or any test, demonstration or trial thereof, for use in connection with his name, signature, or photograph in any form or manner of advertising through any mode nor shall he boast of cases, operations, cures or remedies or permit the publication of report thereof through any mode. A medical practitioner is however permitted to make a formal announcement in press regarding the following:

On starting practice.
On change of type of practice.
On changing address.
On temporary absence from duty.
On resumption of another practice.
On succeeding to another practice.
Public declaration of charges.

6.1.2 Printing of self photograph, or any such material of publicity in the letter head or on sign board of the consulting room or any such clinical establishment shall be regarded as acts of self advertisement and unethical conduct on the part of the physician. However, printing of sketches, diagrams, picture of human system shall not be treated as unethical.

6.2 Patent and Copy rights: A physician may patent surgical instruments, appliances and medicine or Copyright applications, methods and procedures. However, it shall be unethical if the benefits of such patents or copyrights are not made available in situations where the interest of large population is involved.

6.3 Running an open shop (Dispensing of Drugs and Appliances by Physicians): – A physician should not run an open shop for sale of medicine for dispensing prescriptions prescribed by doctors other than himself or for sale of medical or surgical appliances. It is not unethical for a physician to prescribe or supply drugs, remedies or appliances as long as there is no exploitation of the patient. Drugs prescribed by a physician or brought from the market for a patient should explicitly state the proprietary formulae as well as generic name of the drug.

6.4 Rebates and Commission:

6.4.1 A physician shall not give, solicit, or receive nor shall he offer to give solicit or receive, any gift, gratuity, commission or bonus in consideration of or return for the referring, recommending or procuring of any patient for medical, surgical or other treatment. A physician shall not directly or indirectly, participate in or be a party to act of division, transference, assignment, subordination, rebating, splitting or refunding of any fee for medical, surgical or other treatment.

6.4.2 Provisions of para 6.4.1 shall apply with equal force to the referring, recommending or procuring by a physician or any person, specimen or material for diagnostic purposes or other study / work. Nothing in this section, however, shall prohibit payment of salaries by a qualified physician to other duly qualified person rendering medical care under his supervision.

6.5 Secret Remedies: The prescribing or dispensing by a physician of secret remedial agents of which he does not know the composition, or the manufacture or promotion of their use is unethical and as such prohibited. All the drugs prescribed by a physician should always carry a proprietary formula and clear name.

6.6 Human Rights: The physician shall not aid or abet torture nor shall he be a party to either infliction of mental or physical trauma or concealment of torture inflicted by some other person or agency in clear violation of human rights.

6.7 Euthanasia: Practicing euthanasia shall constitute unethical conduct. However on specific occasion, the question of withdrawing supporting devices to sustain cardio-pulmonary function even after brain death, shall be decided only by a team of doctors and not merely by the treating physician alone. A team of doctors shall declare withdrawal of support system. Such team shall consist of the doctor in charge of the patient, Chief Medical Officer / Medical Officer in charge of the hospital and a doctor nominated by the in-charge of the hospital from the hospital staff or in accordance with the provisions of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994.

CHAPTER 7

7. MISCONDUCT : The following acts of commission or omission on the part of a physician shall constitute professional misconduct rendering him/her liable for disciplinary action

7.1 Violation of the Regulations: If he/she commits any violation of these Regulations.

7.2 If he/she does not maintain the medical records of his/her indoor patients for a period of three years as per regulation 1.3 and refuses to provide the same within 72 hours when the patient or his/her authorised representative makes a request for it as per the regulation 1.3.2.

7.3 If he/she does not display the registration number accorded to him/her by the State Medical Council or the Medical Council of India in his clinic, prescriptions and certificates etc. issued by him or violates the provisions of regulation 1.4.2.

7.4 Adultery or Improper Conduct: Abuse of professional position by committing adultery or improper conduct with a patient or by maintaining an improper association with a patient will render a Physician liable for disciplinary action as provided under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 or the concerned State Medical Council Act.

7.5 Conviction by Court of Law: Conviction by a Court of Law for offences involving moral turpitude / Criminal acts.

7.6 Sex Determination Tests: On no account sex determination test shall be undertaken with the intent to terminate the life of a female foetus developing in her mother’s womb, unless there are other absolute indications for termination of pregnancy as specified in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. Any act of termination of pregnancy of normal female foetus amounting to female foeticide shall be regarded as professional misconduct on the part of the physician leading to penal erasure besides rendering him liable to criminal proceedings as per the provisions of this Act.

7.7 Signing Professional Certificates, Reports and other Documents: Registered medical practitioners are in certain cases bound by law to give, or may from time to time be called upon or requested to give certificates, notification, reports and other documents of similar character signed by them in their professional capacity for subsequent use in the courts or for administrative purposes etc. Such documents, among others, include the ones given at Appendix –4. Any registered practitioner who is shown to have signed or given under his name and authority any such certificate, notification, report or document of a similar character which is untrue, misleading or improper, is liable to have his name deleted from the Register.

7.8 A registered medical practitioner shall not contravene the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and regulations made there under. Accordingly,

Prescribing steroids/ psychotropic drugs when there is no absolute medical indication;
selling Schedule ‘H’ & ‘L’ drugs and poisons to the public except to his patient;

in contravention of the above provisions shall constitute gross professional misconduct on the part of the physician.

7.9 Performing or enabling unqualified person to perform an abortion or any illegal operation for which there is no medical, surgical or psychological indication.

7.10 A registered medical practitioner shall not issue certificates of efficiency in modern medicine to unqualified or non-medical person.

(Note: The foregoing does not restrict the proper training and instruction of bonafide students, midwives, dispensers, surgical attendants, or skilled mechanical and technical assistants and therapy assistants under the personal supervision of physicians.)7.11 A physician should not contribute to the lay press articles and give interviews regarding diseases and treatments which may have the effect of advertising himself or soliciting practices; but is open to write to the lay press under his own name on matters of public health, hygienic living or to deliver public lectures, give talks on the radio/TV/internet chat for the same purpose and send announcement of the same to lay press.

7.12 An institution run by a physician for a particular purpose such as a maternity home, nursing home, private hospital, rehabilitation centre or any type of training institution etc. may be advertised in the lay press, but such advertisements should not contain anything more than the name of the institution, type of patients admitted, type of training and other facilities offered and the fees.

7.13 It is improper for a physician to use an unusually large sign board and write on it anything other than his name, qualifications obtained from a University or a statutory body, titles and name of his speciality, registration number including the name of the State Medical Council under which registered. The same should be the contents of his prescription papers. It is improper to affix a sign-board on a chemist’s shop or in places where he does not reside or work.

7.14 The registered medical practitioner shall not disclose the secrets of a patient that have been learnt in the exercise of his / her profession except –

in a court of law under orders of the Presiding Judge;
in circumstances where there is a serious and identified risk to a specific person and / or community; and
notifiable diseases.

In case of communicable / notifiable diseases, concerned public health authorities should be informed immediately.

7.15 The registered medical practitioner shall not refuse on religious grounds alone to give assistance in or conduct of sterility, birth control, circumcision and medical termination of Pregnancy when there is medical indication, unless the medical practitioner feels himself/herself incompetent to do so.

7.16 Before performing an operation the physician should obtain in writing the consent from the husband or wife, parent or guardian in the case of minor, or the patient himself as the case may be. In an operation which may result in sterility the consent of both husband and wife is needed.

7.17 A registered medical practitioner shall not publish photographs or case reports of his / her patients without their permission, in any medical or other journal in a manner by which their identity could be made out. If the identity is not to be disclosed, the consent is not needed.

7.18 In the case of running of a nursing home by a physician and employing assistants to help him / her, the ultimate responsibility rests on the physician.

7.19 A Physician shall not use touts or agents for procuring patients.

7.20 A Physician shall not claim to be specialist unless he has a special qualification in that branch.

7.21 No act of invitro fertilization or artificial insemination shall be undertaken without the informed consent of the female patient and her spouse as well as the donor. Such consent shall be obtained in writing only after the patient is provided, at her own level of comprehension, with sufficient information about the purpose, methods, risks, inconveniences, disappointments of the procedure and possible risks and hazards.

7.22 Research: Clinical drug trials or other research involving patients or volunteers as per the guidelines of ICMR can be undertaken, provided ethical considerations are borne in mind. Violation of existing ICMR guidelines in this regard shall constitute misconduct. Consent taken from the patient for trial of drug or therapy which is not as per the guidelines shall also be construed as misconduct.

7.23 If a physician posted in rural area is found absent on more than two occasions during inspection by the Head of the District Health Authority or the Chairman, Zila Parishad, the same shall be construed as a misconduct if it is recommended to the Medical Council of India/State Medical Council by the State Government for action under these Regulations.

7.24 If a physician posted in a medical college/institution both as teaching faculty or otherwise shall remain in hospital/college during the assigned duty hours. If they are found absent on more than two occasions during this period, the same shall be construed as a misconduct if it is certified by the Principal/Medical Superintendent and forwarded through the State Government to Medical Council of India/State Medical Council for action under these Regulations.

CHAPTER 8

8. PUNISHMENT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION

8.1 It must be clearly understood that the instances of offences and of Professional misconduct which are given above do not constitute and are not intended to constitute a complete list of the infamous acts which calls for disciplinary action, and that by issuing this notice the Medical Council of India and or State Medical Councils are in no way precluded from considering and dealing with any other form of professional misconduct on the part of a registered practitioner. Circumstances may and do arise from time to time in relation to which there may occur questions of professional misconduct which do not come within any of these categories. Every care should be taken that the code is not violated in letter or spirit. In such instances as in all others, the Medical Council of India and/or State Medical Councils have to consider and decide upon the facts brought before the Medical Council of India and/or State Medical Councils.

8.2 It is made clear that any complaint with regard to professional misconduct can be brought before the appropriate Medical Council for Disciplinary action. Upon receipt of any complaint of professional misconduct, the appropriate Medical Council would hold an enquiry and give opportunity to the registered medical practitioner to be heard in person or by pleader. If the medical practitioner is found to be guilty of committing professional misconduct, the appropriate Medical Council may award such punishment as deemed necessary or may direct the removal altogether or for a specified period, from the register of the name of the delinquent registered practitioner. Deletion from the Register shall be widely publicized in local press as well as in the publications of different Medical Associations/ Societies/Bodies.

8.3 In case the punishment of removal from the register is for a limited period, the appropriate Council may also direct that the name so removed shall be restored in the register after the expiry of the period for which the name was ordered to be removed.

8.4 Decision on complaint against delinquent physician shall be taken within a time limit of 6 months.

8.5 During the pendency of the complaint the appropriate Council may restrain the physician from performing the procedure or practice which is under scrutiny.

8.6 Professional incompetence shall be judged by peer group as per guidelines prescribed by Medical Council of India.

Eligibility Certificate Regulations, 2002

4 Admission to the Medical Course-Eligibility Criteria:

No Candidate shall be allowed to be admitted to the Medical Curriculum of first Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Course until:

He/she shall complete the age of 17 years on or before 31st December, of the year of admission to the MBBS course;
He/she has passed qualifying examination as under:-

The higher secondary examination or the Indian School Certificate Examination which is equivalent to 10+2 Higher Secondary Examination after a period of 12 years study, the last two years of study comprising of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics or any other elective subjects with English at a level not less than the core course for English as prescribed by the National Council for Educational Research and Training after the introduction of the 10+2+3 years educational structure as recommended by the National Committee on education;
Note: Where the course content is not as prescribed for 10+2 education structure of the National Committee, the candidates will have to undergo a period of one year pre-professional training before admission to the medical colleges;

or
The intermediate examination in science of an Indian University/Board or other recognised examining body with Physics, Chemistry and Biology which shall include a practical test in these subjects and also English as a compulsory subject;
or
The pre-professional/pre-medical examination with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, after passing either the higher secondary school examination, or the pre-university or an equivalent examination. The pre-professional/pre-medical examination shall include a practical test in Physics, Chemistry and Biology and also English as a compulsory subject;
or
The first year of the three years degree course of a recognized university, with Physics, Chemistry and Biology including a practical test in three subjects provided the examination is a “University Examination” and candidate has passed 10+2 with English at a level not less than a core course;
or
B.Sc examination of an Indian University, provided that he/she has passed the B.Sc examination with not less than two of the following subjects Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology) and further that he/she has passed the earlier qualifying examination with the following subjects-Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English.
or
Any other examination which, in scope and standard is found to be equivalent to the intermediate science examination of an Indian University/Board, taking Physics, Chemistry and Biology including practical test in each of these subjects and English.

Note:

The pre-medical course may be conducted either at Medical College or a Science College.
Marks obtained in Mathematics are not to be considered for admission to MBBS Course.
After the 10+2 course is introduced, the integrated courses should be abolished

5. Selection of Students: The selection of students to medical college shall be based solely on merit of the candidate and for determination of the merit, the following criteria be adopted uniformly throughout the country:

In states, having only one Medical College and one university board/examining body conducting the qualifying examination, the marks obtained at such qualifying examination may be taken into consideration;
In states, having more than one university/board/examining body conducting the qualifying examination (or where there is more than one medical college under the administrative control of one authority) a competitive entrance examination should be held so as to achieve a uniform evaluation as there may be variation of standards at qualifying examinations conducted by different agencies;
Where there are more than one college in a state and only one university/board conducting the qualifying examination, then a joint selection board be constituted for all the colleges;
A competitive entrance examination is absolutely necessary in the cases of institutions of All India character;
Procedure for selection to MBBS course shall be as follows:-

in case of admission on the basis of qualifying examination under clause (1) based on merit, candidate for admission to MBBS course must have passed in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology & English individually and must have obtained a minimum of 50% marks taken together in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at the qualifying examination as mentioned in clause (2) of regulation 4. In respect of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes, the marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology taken together in qualifying examination be 40% instead of 50% as above.
In case of admission of the basis of competitive entrance examination under clause (2) to (4) of this regulation, a candidate must have passed in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English individually and must have obtained a minimum of 50% marks taken together in Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the qualifying examination as mentioned in clause (2) of regulation 4 and in addition must have come in the merit list prepared as a result of such competitive entrance examination by securing not less that 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology taken together in the competitive examination. In respect of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or other Backward Classes the marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology taken together in qualifying examination and competitive entrance examination be 40% instead of 50% as stated above:

Provided that a candidate who has appeared in the qualifying examination the result of which has not been declared, he may be provisionally permitted to take up the competitive entrance examination and in case of selection for admission to the MBBS course, he shall not be admitted to that course until he fulfils the eligibility criteria under regulation 4

Screening Test Regulations, 2002

It is brought to the notice of Indian (citizens) students who are desirous of joining an Undergraduate Medical Course (equivalent to MBBS in India) in any Foreign Medical Institution on or after the 15th March,2002, that all such intending candidates shall have to approach the Medical Council of India, Aiwan-E-Galib Marg, Kotla Road, New Delhi-110002 for issue of Eligibility Certificate for getting admission to an Undergraduate Medical Course in any Foreign Medical Institution as per the provisions of “Eligibility Requirement for taking admission in an undergraduate medical course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations,2002” which has been notified in Part III Section 4 of the Gazette of India Extra-ordinary issue dated the 18th February,2002. The application form for issue of the Eligibility Certificate may be obtained from the Council office. The application form alongwith the details required therein may be submitted to the Council alongwith the demand draft in favour of Secretary, Medical Council of India, New Delhi, for the prescribed sum. It may be understood that Eligibility Certificate will be issued by the Council only to such candidates who fulfill the criteria of age of admission to the medical course and passing of qualifying examination (10+2 or equivalent or higher qualification) with the required percentage of marks as prescribed in the Graduate Medical Education Regulations,1997, copies of which are available in the Council office on payment of Rs.100/-. The relevant extracts from these Regulations are also available on the Council’s Website. A candidate belonging to SC/ST/OBC has to produce a caste certificate from the competent authority. Only after necessary verification, if the candidate fulfills the eligibility criteria, the Council shall issue Eligibility Certificate to the candidate certifying that he/she is eligible to join a medical institution outside India to obtain a primary medical qualification. No candidate who has obtained admission in a Foreign Medical Institution on or after 15th March,2002 shall be permitted to sit for the Screening Test, after obtaining the medical degree from abroad, for the purpose of his registration in India, unless he produces the Eligibility Certificate issued by the Medical Council of India. Further details may be obtained from the office of the Medical Council of India, New Delhi and also may be seen in the website of the Council – www.mciindia.org.

Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2000

(AMENDED UPTO 10th AUGUST 2016)

SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT:

These regulations may be called “The Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations 2000.
They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

GENERAL CONDITIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY POSTGRADUATE TEACHING INSTITUTIONS:
1. Postgraduate Medical Education in broad specialities shall be of three years duration in the case of degree course and two years in the case of Diploma course after MBBS and in the case of super specialities the duration shall be of three years after MD/MS with the exceptions wherever indicated.
2. Postgraduate curriculum shall be competency based.
3. Learning in postgraduate programme shall be essentially autonomous and self directed.
4. A combination of both formative and summative assessment is vital for the successful completion of the PG programme.
5. A modular approach to the course curriculum is essential for achieving a systematic exposure to the various sub-specialities concerned with a discipline.
6. The training of PG students shall involve learning experience ‘derived from’ or ‘targeted to’ the needs of the community. It shall, therefore, be necessary to expose the students to community based activities.

Opening of a New or Higher Course of Study or Training Regulation MCI

No.M.C.I.34 (41)2000-Med:- In exercise of the powers conferred by section 10A read with section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act,1956 (102 of 1956), in super-session of the Establishment of new Medical Colleges, opening of higher courses of study and increase of admission capacity in medical colleges Regulations, 1993, in so far as it relates to application for permission of the Central Government for starting new or higher courses (including PG degree/diploma and higher specialities) in a medical college / institution and application for permission of the Central Government to increase the admission capacity in MBBS/Higher courses (including Diploma/ Degree/ Higher specialities) in the existing medical colleges/institutions, the Medical Council of India, with the previous sanction of the Central Government

Medical Council of India Regulations, 2000

MCI No. 2(1) 2000 Med. – In exercise of the powers conferred by section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956) the Medical Council of India, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, hereby makes the following regulations, namely :-

1. Short title and commencement –

(1) These Regulations may be called the Medical Council of India Regulations, 2000.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

2 Definitions:

In these Regulation, unless the context otherwise requires,-

“Act” means the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956)
“Council” means the Medical Council of India constituted under section 3 of the Act:
“employee” means an employee of the Council, other than an officer of the Council.
“Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee constituted under clause (1) of section 9;
“Inspector” means a medical inspector appointed under sub-section (1) of the section 17;
“officers of the Council” means Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary or any other officer appointed as such by the Council.
“Registrar” means the Registrar of the Council who shall be the ex-officio Secretary and who may also, if deemed expedient, act as Treasurer.
“Section” means a section of the Act;
“visitor” means a visitor appointed under sub-section (1) of section 18;
“Whole-time Inspector” means the whole-time Inspector appointed by the Council.

3. Office of the Council:

The Office of the Council shall be situated in Delhi.

Establishment of Medical College Regulations, 1999

No person shall establish a medical college except after obtaining prior permission from the Central Government by submitting a Scheme annexed with these regulations.

Minimum Qualification for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998

Index of Teaching specialities.

1.   Anatomy
2.   Physiology
3.   Biochemistry
4.   Bio-Physics
5.   Pharmacology
6.   Pathology
7.   Microbiology
8.   Community Medicine
9.   Forensic Medicine
10. General Medicine
11. General Surgery
12. Obstetrics and Gynaecology
13. Paediatrics
14. Tuberculosis and Respiratory Medicine/Pulmonary Medicine
15. Psychiatry
16. Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy
17. Orthopaedics
18. Anaesthesiology
19. Radio-Diagnosis
20. Radio-Therapy
21. Oto-Rhini-Laryngology
22. Ophthalmology
23. Nuclear Medicine
24. Nutrition
25. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
26. Human Metabolism
27. Immuno Haematology and Blood Transfusion
28. Medical Genetics
29. Family Medicine
30. Aviation Medicine/Aerospace Medicine
31. Geriatrics
32. Health Administration
33. Hospital Administration
34. Sports Medicine
35. Tropical Medicine
36. Rheumatology
37. Health Education
38. Marine Medicine
39. Occupational Health
40. Public Health
41. Radiological Physics
42. Virology
43. Dentistry

SUPER SPECIALITIES

1.   Cardiology
2.   Clinical Haematology
3.   Clinical Pharmacology
4.   Endocrinology
5.   Immunology
6.   Medical Gastroenterology
7.   Medical Genetics (Super-Speciality)
8.   Medical Oncology
9.   Neonatology
10. Nephrology
11. Neurology
12. Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgery
13. Urology
14. Neuro Surgery
15. Paediatric Surgery
16. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
17. Surgical Gastroenterology
18. Surgical Oncology

The Medical Council of India (Conduct of Elections to the Posts of President , Vice President, Members of the Executive Commitee and the elected members of the Postgraduate Medical Education Committee) Regulations 1998

Electoral Roll

3. The Secretary of the Council shall make available an updated list of members on the date of election which shall form the electoral roll for the purposes of the election. A copy of the electoral roll can be had free of cost by any member on a request made by him in this regard to the Secretary of the Council.
Conduct of Election

4. (1) the election to the posts of the President, Vice-President, and Members of the Executive Committee and elected members of the Postgraduate Medical Education Committee shall be held on the floor of the house in General Body meeting of the Council
(2) The posts for which the elections are to be held in the general body meeting shall be notified atleast twenty one clear days before the date of the meeting in the agenda for the meeting.
(3) A member can contest for only one post a time. In case of his filing nominations, which are valid otherwise, for more than one post at a time, the Returning Officer at his discretion may reject all his nominations.
Nomination of candidate

5 (1) The Returning Officer shall call for nomination from the Members present and voting at the meeting in the prescribed form, duly proposed by any Member and seconded by any other member present and voting, with due consent of the candidate.
(2) A nomination shall be proposed at the meeting and on the floor of the house by any Member and be seconded by another Member, present and voting at the meeting.
(3) After receiving the nomination papers the same shall be scrutinized by the Scrutiny Committee constituted by the Council for this purpose and in case any nomination paper is not found in order by such Committee, the same shall be rejected by the Returning Officer.
(4) Objections, if any, by the contesting Member to any post shall be submitted by such Members to the Returning Officer in writing at the meeting. The decision of the Returning Officer on such objection shall be final and binding.
Nomination Paper

(6) The nomination paper shall contain the following details, name by: –

(i) Name of the candidate;
(ii) Post or office for which the candidate is contesting;
(iii) Name of the proposer;
(iv) Name of the seconder.
Withdrawal of candidature.

7. Any candidate contesting the election under these rules may withdraw his candidature within the stipulated time as decided and informed to members by the Returning Officer.
Polling and declaration of results.

8. (1)After scrutiny of nomination papers if the nomination papers of only one candidate is accepted for a particular post, the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare such candidate to be elected to that post.
(2) If the number of duly made nominations exceeds one in number for a post, the Returning Officer shall direct the Polling Committee constituted by the Council, to conduct poll.
(3) The polling shall be by secret ballot in the ballot form specified by the Returning Office by the Members Present and voting.
(4) The Polling Committee referred to in rule (2) after completion of the poll shall scrutinize and count the votes polled by each candidate for a particular post and accordingly submit its report to the Returning Officer who in turn shall declare the results on the principle of majority of votes.
(5) Objection, if any, regarding counting and rejection of votes may be submitted by a contesting candidate in writing to the Returning Officer at the meeting, who after examination of the objections may direct for re-counting of the votes polled or may pass such other order as he may deem fit and proper for disposing of such objection.
(6) When an equality of votes is found to exist between any candidates and the addition of a vote will entitle any of the candidates to be declared elected, the determination of the person to whom such an additional vote shall be deemed to have been given, shall be made by lot to be drawn in the presence of the Returning Officer and in such manner as he may determine.
Ballot Papers

9 (1) The ballot paper shall have the names of the candidates in alphabetical order, and the voter shall indicate the choice by making (x) against the name in the column provided. The following instructions shall be provided in the Ballot papers, namely: –
(a) Each elector has one vote for each vacancy;
(b) The electoral shall vote by placing the mark ‘X’ opposite the name of the candidate whom he prefers.

Invalid votes

10. A Vote shall be invalid and liable to be rejected if –
(i) the ballot paper does not bear the signature of the Returning Officer, or
(ii) the voter signs his name or writes a word or makes any mark on the ballot paper by which it becomes recognizable as his vote, or
(iii) No choice is recorded on the ballot papers, or
(iv) the mark ‘X” is placed opposite the names of more than one candidate or if the mark is so placed as to render it doubtful to which candidate it is intended to apply.

Preservation of Records

11. Upon completion of the counting and after the results have been declared, the Returning Officer shall in his supervision seal the ballot papers and all other documents relating to the election and shall retain the same in his custody for a period of six months.

REGULATIONS ON GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION, 1997

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEACHING APPROACH

(1) Graduate medical curriculum is oriented towards training students to undertake the responsibilities of a physician of first contact who is capable of looking after the preventive, promotive, curative & rehabilitative aspect of medicine.

(2) With wide range of career opportunities available today, a graduate has a wide choice of career opportunities. The training, though broad based and flexible should aim to provide an educational experience of the essentials required for health care in our country.

(3) To undertake the responsibilities of service situations which is a changing condition and of various types, it is essential to provide adequate placement training tailored to the needs of such services as to enable the graduates to become effective instruments of implementation of those requirements. To avail of opportunities and be able to conduct professional requirements, the graduate shall endeavour to have acquired basic training in different aspects of medical care.

(4) The importance of the community aspects of health care and of rural health care services is to be recognized. This aspect of education & training of graduates should be adequately recognized in the prescribed curriculum. Its importance has been systematically upgraded over the past years and adequate exposure to such experiences should be available throughout all the three phases of education & training. This has to be further emphasized and intensified by providing exposure to field practice areas and training during the intership period. The aim of the period of rural training during internship is to enable the fresh graduates to function efficiently under such settings.

(5) The educational experience should emphasize health and community orientation instead of only disease and hospital orientation or being-concentrated – on-curative -aspects. As such all the basic concepts of modern scientific medical education are to be adequately dealt with.

(6) There must be enough experiences to be provided for self learning. The methods and techniques that would ensure this must become a part of teaching-learning process.

(7) The medical graduate of modern scientific medicine shall endeavour to become capable of functioning independently in both urban or rural environment. He/she shall endeavour to give emphasis on fundamental aspects of the subjects taught and on common problems of health and disease avoiding unnecessary details of specialization.

(8) The importance of social factors in relation to the problem of health and diseases should receive proper emphasis throughout the course and to achieve this purpose, the educational process should also be community based than only hospital based. The importance of population control and family welfare planning should be emphasized throughout the period of training with the importance of health and development duly emphasized.

(9) Adequate emphasis is to be placed on cultivating logical and scientific habits of thought, clarity of expression and independence of judgment, ability to collect and analyse information and to correlate them.

(10) The educational process should be placed in a historic background as an evolving process and not merely as an acquisition of a large number of disjointed facts without a proper perspective. The history of Medicine with reference to the evolution of medical knowledge both in this country and the rest of the world should form a part of this process.

(11) Lectures alone are generally not adequate as a method of training and are a poor means of transferring/acquiring information and even less effective at skill development and in generating the appropriate attitudes. Every effort should be made to encourage the use of active methods related to demonstration and on first hand experience. Students will be encouraged to learn in small groups, through peer interactions so as to gain maximal experience through contacts with patients and the communities in which they live. While the curriculum objectives often refer to areas of knowledge or science, they are best taught in a setting of clinical relevance and hands on experience for students who assimilate and make this knowledge a part of their own working skills.

(12) The graduate medical education in clinical subjects should be based primarily on out-patient teaching, emergency departments and within the community including peripheral health care institutions. The out-patient departments should be suitably planned to provide training to graduates in small groups.

(13) Clinics should be organised in small groups of preferably not more than 10 students so that a teacher can give personal attention to each student with a view to improve his skill and competence in handling of the patients.

(14) Proper records of the work should be maintained which will form the basis for the students’ internal assessment and should be available to the inspectors at the time of inspection of the college by the Medical Council of India.

(15) Maximal efforts have to be made to encourage integrated teaching between traditional subject areas using a problem based learning approach starting with clinical or community cases and exploring the relevance of various preclinical disciplines in both understanding and resolution of the problem. Every attempt be made to de-emphasize compartmentalisation of disciplines so as to achieve both horizontal and vertical integration in different phases.

(16) Every attempt is to be made to encourage students to participate in group discussions and seminars to enable them to develop personality, character, expression and other faculties which are necessary for a medical graduate to function either in solo practice or as a team leader when he begins his independent career. A discussion group should not have more than 20 students.

(17) Faculty member should avail of modern educational technology while teaching the students and to attain this objective, Medical Education Units/ Departments be established in all medical colleges for faculty development and providing learning resource material to teachers.

(18) To derive maximum advantage out of this revised curriculum, the vacation period to students in one calendar year should not exceed one month, during the 4 ½ years Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Course.

(19) In order to implement the revised curriculum in toto, State Govts. and Institution Bodies must ensure that adequate financial and technical inputs are provided.