MCI appoints IPS as secy, sparks row

An IPS officer's appointment as secretary to the Medical Council of India (MCI), a monitoring body, has created a controversy in the medical fraternity.

An IPS officer's appointment as secretary to the Medical Council of India (MCI), a monitoring body, has created a controversy in the medical fraternity.

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Odisha cadre officer RP Meena is the third person to be appointed to the post in the past three years at the MCI, the sole statutory body that monitors medical colleges, affiliates new medical institutions and registers doctors.

Meena was director, central vigilance office, Union ministry of health.

"How can an IPS officer who has no medical education and minimum knowledge or experience in the field of medical education and research run such an important body?" a former executive member of the council from West Bengal asked.

MCI sources said Meena replaced Sanjay Sreevastava, who had resigned last week.

In 2010, the MCI was dissolved after corruption allegations surfaced, and the Union health ministry created the post of secretary.