New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS): The Delhi High Court Thursday told the central government to file its reply on the contempt plea filed against it for alleged failure to start a three-year course for non-MBBS people to practise medicine in rural health centres.

Justice S.K. Mishra sought a detailed affidavit, indicating if steps had been taken to start the court, within eight weeks and posted the matter for Dec 5.

Petitioner Meenakshi Gautam, filing the contempt petition through advocate Prashant Bhushan, said Nov 10, 2010 a division bench of this court had ordered the Medical Council of India (MCI) to introduce by March 2011 the bachelor of rural health care (BRHC) course, approved by the health ministry, but no action has been taken so far.

"The MCI apparently opposed the course in 2011 and is not willing to notify it," the petition said.

The court had earlier given the MCI two months' time to finalise the curriculum and syllabus of the three-and-half-year primary healthcare practitioner course, approved by the central government, she added.