Transparent Draw Appoints Part-Time Members to National Medical Commission and Boards

The selection took place in the presence of media representatives and senior officials to reinforce transparency and accountability.

In a step aligned with the statutory provisions of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, presided over the appointment process for part-time members of the National Medical Commission (NMC), its four Autonomous Boards, and the Search Committee, through a publicly conducted draw of lots. This event underscores the government’s commitment to transparency, federal representation, and merit-based appointments in India’s medical regulatory framework.

Legally Mandated and Time-Bound Appointments

As per the NMC Act, 2019, the part-time members selected through this process will hold office for a period of two years. The selection mechanism—draw of lots—is enshrined in the Act to ensure impartiality, regional diversity, and equitable representation from across India’s states and union territories.

The selection took place in the presence of media representatives and senior officials to reinforce transparency and accountability.

Representation from Across States and UTs

A total of ten part-time members of the National Medical Commission were appointed from nominees of State/UT Governments who were already serving in the Medical Advisory Council (appointed in 2022). These included representatives from:

• Gujarat

• Rajasthan

• Himachal Pradesh

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands

• Andhra Pradesh

• Mizoram

• Meghalaya

• Jharkhand

• Chandigarh

• Madhya Pradesh

In addition, nine part-time members were selected from the nominees of State Medical Councils, also already part of the Medical Advisory Council:

• West Bengal

• Karnataka

• Nagaland

• Chhattisgarh

• Tripura

• Jammu & Kashmir

• Assam

• Manipur

• Uttarakhand

This selection ensures a geographically inclusive advisory and decision-making structure for national medical education and regulatory policy.

New Appointments to the Autonomous Boards

Each of the four Autonomous Boards under the NMC—tasked with essential responsibilities such as curriculum development, assessment and accreditation, postgraduate training, and ethics—also saw the appointment of one fourth part-time member drawn from State Medical Council nominees:

• Undergraduate Medical Education Board: Arunachal Pradesh

• Postgraduate Medical Education Board: Odisha

• Medical Assessment and Rating Board: Haryana

• Ethics and Medical Registration Board: Punjab

These appointments will strengthen state representation in shaping national-level policies across undergraduate and postgraduate education, ethics, and institutional evaluation.

Strengthening Governance Through the Search Committee

In a move that underscores the Centre’s emphasis on regional expertise and balanced governance, an expert from Jammu & Kashmir was selected for inclusion in the Search Committee, which plays a pivotal role in identifying key personnel for high-ranking positions within the Commission and its Boards.

A Transparent and Inclusive Process

The draw of lots was conducted in the presence of media personnel to ensure full transparency. Notable dignitaries who witnessed the process included:

• Smt. Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary (Additional Charge), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

• Dr. Vinod Kotwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

• Senior officials from the Union Health Ministry

This transparent appointment mechanism is in line with the NMC’s mission to ensure that India's medical education system is equitable, responsive, and evidence-based.

Strengthening the Vision of the NMC

The National Medical Commission, which replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India, is charged with reforming medical education and practice in India. It focuses on:

• Improving access to quality medical education

• Maintaining high ethical standards in the profession

• Encouraging medical research and innovation

• Ensuring a robust accreditation and evaluation framework

The newly appointed members and board representatives are expected to contribute significantly to this vision, particularly in the wake of rapidly evolving healthcare challenges.

Way Forward

With diverse and capable representation from across the country, the NMC is better positioned to foster cohesive, inclusive, and forward-thinking regulation of medical education and practice in India. The draw of lots, as mandated by law, not only lends credibility to the process but also democratizes representation, giving states and UTs an equitable voice in the country’s evolving healthcare landscape.