- Medical Council of India is a statutory body.
- Initially, it was set up in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933.
- The Council was later reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 that supplanted the before Act.
- It establishes the uniform and high standards of medical education in India.
- It also registers doctors to practice in India, in order to protect and promote the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.
- The registration of doctors and their qualifications is usually done by state medical councils.
- Recently the NITI Aayog has suggested the substitution of Medical Council of India (MCI) with the National Medical Commission (NMC).