Parliament has passed the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill 2023 with Rajya Sabha approving it today. Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill. The Bill provides for the regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by nursing and midwifery professionals. The Bill has provisions for the constitution of the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission. It will consist of 29 members. According to the Bill, every state government must constitute a State Nursing and Midwifery Commission where no such Commission exists under state law. The central government will also establish the Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Council. The Chairperson of the National Commission will be the Chairperson of the Council.
Parliament also passed the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023. The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill. The Bill is intended to regulate the profession of dentistry in the country. It also aimed at providing quality and affordable dental education. The Bill repeals the Dentists Act, 1948 and constitutes the National Dental Commission, the Dental Advisory Council, and three autonomous Boards for regulating dental education and standards of dentistry. The central government is required to constitute a National Dental Commission consisting of 33 members.
It will be chaired by an eminent and experienced dentist. Under the provisions of the Bill, state governments are required to institute State Dental Councils within one year of the enactment of the Act. The central government is required to constitute a Dental Advisory Council. The Council will advise the Commission on education, training, and research standards.
Replying to the discussion on both the Bills, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said, government is working with a holistic approach in Medical sector to provide quality education. He said, the number of MBBS seats in the country has crossed one lakh seven thousand mark, which were 54 thousand seats before 2014. The Minister said, the medical colleges have also increased from 350 to 704.
