FMGs' worry grows as NEET PG exam application date nears
On March 24, when the State government issued a Government Order for the constitution of a six-member interim Medical Council, a new ray of hope came for many FMGs who until then had been told that one of the reasons for delay in issuance of PRs was due to the lack of a council body.
The new interim council members took charge on April 1 and a board meeting was expected to take place immediately to decide on the chairman from among the six members. According to information, the chairman would take the final call on the FMG issue, but the meeting has been postponed at least twice between April 1 and 21.
In the meantime, the graduates' worries are growing as the date for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) PG has been declared and the last date to apply for the exam is May 7.
'We cannot apply for the exam without having either Temporary or Permanent Registration,' Viplav (name changed) said, adding that while the PR was yet to be issued, the TR had lapsed for them. He said the council members were supportive, but unable to give a clear schedule.
If the PRs are not issued before May 7, many would have to give NEET a miss. Those who completed their one-year internships in May last year, in accordance with their allotment letters, are the most hit, as last year too, they had to skip NEET as PRs were not issued to them.
They were told that they would have to undergo another year of internship as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines to obtain a PR. Insistence on a two-year internship sparked protests in the State and the PR process remained in limbo for a long time.
Loss of academic years
In the meantime, many continued to study for NEET PG 2025, hoping that the whole issue would be resolved by this time. But, with no clarity still, the graduates are anxious that one more year would be wasted.
'We have already spent six years on getting a degree, equivalent to MBBS, in a foreign university. Then, after completing our internship, we are being made to wait for a PR. When will we go for PG? How many more years before we complete our studies?' wondered Viplav, who started his medical degree in Kyrgyzstan in 2016.
'The APMC, from the beginning, has been giving different reasons for the delay. At first, we were told that the council body was not formed. Then, we were asked to undergo another year of internship and later, we were told that a new compensatory certificate has to be submitted,' said another graduate.
New format
The APMC had recently asked them to submit afresh details of compensation, mentioning the period of online study and the period of compensation of online study with offline mode, in a new format. However, the graduates said that the parent universities had refused to furnish the details without a circular from the NMC.
The graduates also sought information through Right to Information to find out if there was any circular from the NMC regarding a new format of compensatory certificates. 'There has not been any circular asking for a new format of compensatory certificates. When no other State is asking for such details, why should the APMC insist on it?' Viplav questioned.
According to information from the council, an executive body has to be formed and the FMGs' issue will be discussed during its first sitting. But there is no clarity on when the executive body will be formed.
Meanwhile, a few graduates, who wrote the Foreign Medical Graduates' Examination recently, have begun opting for other States to complete their internship, due to uncertainty over PRs in Andhra Pradesh.
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