CHENNAI: The Doctors’ Association for Social Equality and Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association-Foreign Wing have announced a one-day hunger strike on January 6 pressing for various demands, including allocation of 20% of total internship seats in medical colleges for foreign medical graduates (FMGs).

Addressing the press on Tuesday, the association representatives condemned the Tamil Nadu Medical Council’s (TMC) delay in implementing the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) 2022 permission for FMG training in district hospitals and called for rectifying it immediately.

The state government had previously permitted FMGs to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CMRI) training in its 11 medical colleges, which has now been stopped completely.

The association added that the TMC order, mandating two or three years of compulsory internship for many FMGs, was unique to the state and contrary to NMC rules. Hostel facilities also must be provided to FMGs undergoing CMRI training, they added.

“TMC must stop treating FMG’s with neglect, discrimination and indignity. Assistance centres also should be established at the national and state level to help Tamil Nadu students studying medicine abroad,” they added.

The doctors also demanded that the union government must abandon its move to impose NEET exam for lab technician and paramedical courses, which aims to usurp rights of the state.

The state should abolish the collection of tuition fees from medical students belonging to SC/ST categories, while the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation system, which is against social justice, must be reviewed, they added.