UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Activists flag accountability gap as NMC scraps 2023 rules

Q1. With reference to the Autonomous Boards under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Being autonomous, the Boards are not bound by the regulations framed by the Commission in performing their functions.
  2. The power to levy monetary penalties on medical institutions that fail to maintain minimum standards rests with the Medical Assessment and Rating Board.
  3. The National Register of licensed medical practitioners is maintained by the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board, since that Board oversees the qualifying degree.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. With reference to regulations framed by a statutory regulator under its parent Act, such as the regulations framed by the National Medical Commission, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A regulation that goes beyond or conflicts with the parent Act is liable to be struck down as ultra vires, even though the regulator had the power to make regulations.
  2. When the regulator withdraws a set of its regulations, the provisions of the parent Act that empowered those regulations also stand repealed.
  3. Regulations can validly provide for monetary penalties on institutions or individuals only to the extent that the parent Act authorises it.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The National Medical Commission could withdraw the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023 without any amendment to the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
  2. Regulations made by the National Medical Commission acquire legal force only after both Houses of Parliament approve them by an affirmative resolution.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q4. With reference to the Committee on Subordinate Legislation of Parliament, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A regulation framed by a statutory regulator such as the National Medical Commission cannot come into force until the Committee has examined and approved it.
  2. The Committee's scrutiny covers regulations and bye-laws made by bodies to which Parliament has delegated power, and is not confined to rules made by Ministries.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q5. With reference to the replacement of the Medical Council of India (MCI) by the National Medical Commission (NMC), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The reform moved medical regulation away from a model in which the profession chose its own regulators, towards one in which regulators are chosen through a selection process.
  2. Under the NMC Act, the Search Committee itself appoints the Chairperson of the Commission, without any role for the Central Government.
  3. Under the NMC Act, the President of each Autonomous Board is elected by the State Medical Councils.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q6. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Expert committees criticised the Medical Council of India, as constituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, for a conflict of interest built into its structure.
  2. Most members of the Medical Council of India were elected by medical practitioners, the very community the Council was meant to regulate.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q7. The National Medical Commission has withdrawn the Maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023, and no single regulation replaces them. Consider the following likely consequences: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Colleges' claims about faculty strength and patient load become harder to verify, which widens the information gap faced by students choosing between colleges.
  2. The personal liability that faculty and administrators faced for submitting false records lapses, which weakens deterrence at the level of individuals.
  3. The Commission loses its statutory authority to assess and regulate medical colleges until a replacement regulation is notified.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3