Nepal Medical Council Act, 1964

Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.

What does it do?

The Act establishes the Nepal Medical Council, an autonomous body, to regulate the qualifications of doctors so that modern medicine is practised scientifically, and to register doctors. The council is chaired by a doctor with at least 20 years' registered experience and a postgraduate degree nominated by the government, with an elected vice-chair, the presidents of the Nepal Medical Association and Nepal Dental Association, eight elected doctors, and members nominated by the government (including from medical schools and a consumer representative); members serve four years.आधुनिक औषधि वैज्ञानिक ढंगले प्रयोग होस् भनी चिकित्सकको योग्यता नियमन र दर्ता गर्न यस ऐनले स्वशासित संस्थाका रूपमा नेपाल मेडिकल काउन्सिल स्थापना गरेको छ। सरकारले मनोनीत गरेका कम्तीमा २० वर्ष दर्तावाला अनुभव र स्नातकोत्तर उपाधि भएका चिकित्सक अध्यक्ष, निर्वाचित उपाध्यक्ष, नेपाल चिकित्सक संघ र नेपाल दन्त चिकित्सक संघका अध्यक्ष, आठ जना निर्वाचित चिकित्सक तथा मेडिकल शिक्षण संस्था र उपभोक्ताका प्रतिनिधिसमेत सरकारले मनोनीत गरेका सदस्य काउन्सिलमा रहन्छन्; पदावधि चार वर्षको हुन्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Preamble; Sections 3–5, pp. 1–5
The Council recognises medical colleges, sets and reviews standards for curricula, admission, exams and infrastructure, and recommends cancelling registration of colleges that fall short; the government must consult it before approving a new medical college. It sets doctors' qualifications, holds the licensing examination, issues registration certificates, maintains the register, sets a code of conduct and can remove doctors who breach it.काउन्सिलले मेडिकल कलेजलाई मान्यता दिन्छ, पाठ्यक्रम, भर्ना, परीक्षा र पूर्वाधारका मापदण्ड तोकी मूल्याङ्कन गर्छ र मापदण्ड पूरा नगर्ने कलेजको दर्ता खारेजीका लागि सिफारिस गर्छ; नयाँ मेडिकल कलेज स्वीकृत गर्नुअघि सरकारले काउन्सिलसँग परामर्श लिनुपर्छ। यसले चिकित्सकको योग्यता निर्धारण गर्छ, लाइसेन्स परीक्षा लिन्छ, दर्ता प्रमाणपत्र दिन्छ, दर्ता किताब राख्छ, आचारसंहिता बनाउँछ र उल्लंघन गर्नेको नाम हटाउन सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Section 7क, pp. 6–7; Sections 14–17, pp. 9–12
Only registered doctors may practise medicine (people registered with other health councils may do so to the extent the government permits under the Drugs Act). Practising without registration is punishable by up to three years' prison and a fine, plus compensation for harm caused; falsely using medical degrees or titles is also punishable. Registered doctors alone may certify births, deaths and medical fitness. A schedule lists the foreign and Nepali degrees the Council recognises.दर्तावाला चिकित्सकले मात्र चिकित्सा व्यवसाय गर्न पाउँछन् (अन्य स्वास्थ्य परिषद्मा दर्ता भएकाले औषधि ऐनअनुसार सरकारले तोकेको हदसम्म गर्न सक्छन्)। दर्ता नभई चिकित्सा व्यवसाय गरे तीन वर्षसम्म कैद र जरिवाना तथा हानिको क्षतिपूर्ति, र नपाएको चिकित्सा उपाधि प्रयोग गरे पनि सजाय हुन्छ। जन्म, मृत्यु र शारीरिक योग्यताको प्रमाणपत्रमा दर्तावाला चिकित्सकले मात्र सहीछाप गर्न पाउँछन्। अनुसूचीमा काउन्सिलले मान्यता दिएका स्वदेशी र विदेशी उपाधिको सूची छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Sections 26–29, pp. 15–16; Schedule, pp. 19–39

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

Loophole The Auditor General's 63rd report notes that, unlike other bodies created by Acts of Parliament, the Nepal Medical Council (along with the pharmacy, health professional, nursing and Ayurveda councils) is not audited by the Auditor General — the Act contains no audit provision.महालेखापरीक्षकको ६३औँ प्रतिवेदनअनुसार संसद्‌बाट पारित ऐनबाट स्थापित अन्य संस्थाजस्तो नभई नेपाल मेडिकल काउन्सिल (फार्मेसी, स्वास्थ्य व्यवसायी, नर्सिङ र आयुर्वेद परिषद्समेत) को लेखापरीक्षण महालेखापरीक्षकबाट हुने व्यवस्था छैन — ऐनमा लेखापरीक्षणसम्बन्धी दफा नै छैन। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text OAG 63rd report, Ministry of Health chapter, PDF p. 562 (printed p. 530); Act (no audit section), pp. 1–18

Ideas to fix it

The Auditor General recommends providing by law that bodies established under Acts passed by Parliament, including the Medical Council, are audited by the Auditor General.संसद्‌बाट पारित ऐनबमोजिम स्थापित मेडिकल काउन्सिलसहितका संस्थाको लेखापरीक्षण महालेखापरीक्षकबाट गराउने व्यवस्था हुनुपर्ने महालेखापरीक्षकको सुझाव छ। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (63rd Annual Report) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.

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Regulations and rules made under it

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