Medical Council of India is a statutory body. Initially, it was set up in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933. The Council was later reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 that supplanted the before Act. It establishes the uniform and high standards of medical education in India. It also registers doctors to practice in India, in order to protect and promote the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. The registration of doctors and their qualifications is usually done by state medical councils. Recently the NITI Aayog has suggested the substitution of Medical Council of India (MCI) with the National Medical Commission (NMC)

1. Medical Council of India

2. Highlights
• Medical Council of India is a statutory body.
• Initially, it was set up in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933.
• The Council was later reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 that
supplanted the before Act.
• It establishes the uniform and high standards of medical education in India.
• It also registers doctors to practice in India, in order to protect and promote the health and
safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.
• The registration of doctors and their qualifications is usually done by state medical councils.
• Recently the NITI Aayog has suggested the substitution of Medical Council of India (MCI)
with the National Medical Commission (NMC)

3. Functions of the council
The main functions of the MCI were listed as:
• Establish and maintain uniform standards for undergraduate medical education.
• Regulate postgraduate medical education in medical colleges accredited by it.
(The National Board of Examinations is another statutory body for postgraduate
medical education in India).
• Recognition of medical qualifications granted by University or UGC in medical
institutions in India.
• Recognition of foreign medical qualifications in India.

4. Functions of the council
The main functions of the MCI were listed as:
• Accreditation of medical colleges.
• Registration of doctors with recognized medical qualifications. The state medical
councils maintained a register of doctors, forwarded quarterly to the national
MCI. Foreign medical graduates could register directly.
• Maintain a directory of all registered doctors (called the Indian Medical Register).
• Amend, as needed, the regulation of medical education and practices.