In a scathing commentary published on July 19, the internationally renowned Lancet medical journal highlighted what it termed “systemic corruption and inefficiencies” within the National Medical Commission (NMC)—India’s apex body overseeing medical education and institutions. The journal’s critique came weeks after a corruption scandal surfaced involving bribery, regulatory manipulation, and collusion between government officials and private medical colleges.
The journal warned that the integrity of medical education in India is under threat, which could severely impact the future quality of healthcare in the country.
CBI Uncovers Massive Bribery Network
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated a sweeping investigation on June 30, naming 34 individuals, including officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the NMC. The inquiry followed raids at over 40 locations across five Indian states.
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The CBI’s findings painted a disturbing picture: inspectors from the NMC and officials from the Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Nava Raipur were caught while allegedly exchanging bribes worth ₹55 lakh. These bribes were reportedly paid to gain regulatory approval for the college.
CBI evidence showed that confidential inspection schedules and team compositions were leaked to private medical colleges in advance, allowing them to fabricate favorable inspection conditions—sometimes using ghost faculty and fictitious patients.
Fallout and Institutional Response
Following the revelations, the NMC announced on July 14 that it would blacklist four assessors and deny seat renewals for six colleges for the 2025–26 academic year. However, The Lancet criticized the regulator for mirroring the opaque practices of its predecessor, the Medical Council of India (MCI), despite being established as a reformative body.
India currently has around 1.3 million registered practitioners for a population that needs far more—just one doctor per 1,263 people, compared to the WHO recommendation of one per 1,000. In an attempt to bridge this gap, the government is pushing for the creation of 75,000 new MBBS seats in the next five years. But The Lancet warns that this aggressive expansion may compromise the quality of doctors if not backed by structural reforms.
Medical Community Demands Accountability
Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), expressed “deep concern” over the NMC’s role in the scandal, stating it has severely eroded public trust. The IMA has called for time-bound punishment of the accused and reforms to prevent such misuse of power in the future.
Further concerns were raised about new medical colleges lacking adequate infrastructure and faculty. Dr. Bhanushali also urged legislative action to regulate fake doctors, address staff shortages, and combat “Mixopathy”—the blending of unrelated medical systems.
Despite growing pressure, the Health Ministry, NMC, and The Lancet itself had not responded to queries at the time of publication.
