Disputes over MCI inspections: SC asks Nilekani to provide tech solution

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 21

Faced with “incessant disputes” over inspection of private medical colleges by the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Supreme Court has asked former UIDAI chairman and technocrat Nandan Nilekani to examine if a computer network-based technological solution was possible for such inspections.

“We…request Mr. Nandan Nilekani to go into this problem and give concrete suggestions to this court at the earliest...Mr. Nilekani is at liberty to take technical assistance from various IT companies, Wipro, Infosys, Accenture, etc., for making suggestions to this court,” a Bench headed by Justice SA Bobde said and posted the matter for hearing after six weeks.

The Bench—which also included Justice LN Rao—passed the order after amicus curiae senior advocate Kapil Sibal suggested that a computer network-based technological solution, which may include artificial intelligence, would be needed to solve the problem.

As Sibal said an expert like Nilekani—a co-founder of IT major Infosys—could be appointed to look into this aspect, MCI counsel Gaurav Sharma supported his suggestion.

The order came during hearing of a petition filed by Azhar Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital of Kerala questioning the MCI’s inspection report.

Inspection of private medical colleges has been a controversial issue and invariably the MCI team’s inspection reports have been challenged in high courts and the Supreme Court.

“There are incessant disputes which reach this court about what actually transpired at inspections of various private medical colleges by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The parties contest virtually every fact that is recorded in an inspection,” noted the Bench, which also included Justice LN Rao.

The court directed the MCI to convene a meeting with Nilekani, Sibal and other advocates who may be interested in the matter either in the National Capital or any other place in India within a period of 15 days. “Sibal shall chair the meeting,” the court said.

It also asked Sibal and Sharma to prepare a written note highlighting the issues that need to be taken up by Nilekani.