The Union Cabinet on February 19 approved proposal for promulgation of the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2019 to allow the Board of Governors (BOG) to run the scam-tainted apex body for regulating medical education.

The Medical Council of India (MCI) was superseded in September 2018 through an ordinance. But, the ordinance could not be approved by Parliament, and was shortly going to lapse, a senior health ministry official said. With this approval, now a fresh ordinance will be promulgated to ensure that the BOG can continue to function in lieu of the MCI, he said.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved these two proposals -- promulgation of an ordinance, namely, the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2019, and bringing in necessary official amendments in the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018, pending in Parliament for replacing the said ordinance, the government said.

"The proposal will enable the Board of Governors appointed in supersession of Medical Council of India as per the provisions of earlier ordinance to continue to exercise the powers of MCI and that of the central government under Section 10A of the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1956, so as to ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education in the country," it said.

It will ensure that the work already done by the BOG as per provisions of earlier Ordinance is validated and may continue. Further, the period for which the BOG was appointed, has been increased from one year to two years, the official said.