Doctors took out a rally on 11 March to oppose the clause in National Medical Commission Bill, which states that the government can only fix fees for 40% of seats in private medical colleges, fearing that the other 60% seats could bear overcharged fees.

A large number of doctors on 11 March took out cycle rallies at many places in Haryana and Punjab to register their disapproval to the current form of the National Medical Commission Bill. According to the bill, the government can fix the fee for only 40 per cent of the seats in private medical colleges. The doctors fear that as the remaining 60 per cent of seats do not come under the guidelines, the colleges shall be charging higher fee.

The IMA is also opposing the clause in the bill which calls for allowing practitioners of traditional medicine system to pursue modern medicine. "This Bill is not at all in favour of the doctors," a medical practitioner, who was part of the protest taken out in Haryana's Karnal, said. Protest rallies were also taken out by doctors at Faridabad, Gurgaon and Sonipat. In Punjab's Phagwara, the 150 member-branch of local IMA also took out protest cycle rallies against the Bill.

"The Bill will adversely alter the course of medical education and healthcare delivery in India," a protesting doctor in Phagwara said. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been on a nationwide march from February 25 to deprecate the current form of the Bill. The IMA has strongly opposed the draft Bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, claiming it will cripple the medical profession.

The IMA, which is a self regulating body run by doctors, has over 1,725 local branches across the country and has held simultaneous yatras across the country to generate awareness among masses. The body organised a cycle rally today across India with an aim to sensitise the masses about the issue.