While Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) awaiting seat allotment for their Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) in Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir have grabbed headlines, FMGs in Delhi are also dealing with a similar situation. They have been waiting for seat allotments for almost three months.
Ankit Tyagi, an MBBS graduate from Armenia, who belongs to Delhi, informs that the results for the FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) were declared in February, after which the students started applying for seats. But the merit list of the candidates who have been allotted seats has not been released in Delhi yet, citing a dubious non-availability of seats, whereas students say that seats are available.
The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) submitted a letter to the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) today, April 20, urging the body to take the necessary steps and resolve the matter. "The National Medical Commission (NMC) website clearly states that 300 seats are available for FMGs across major medical institutions in Delhi. However, candidates have been left without a clear timeline for the commencement of their internships, which is concerning and unfair," the letter states.
Dr Aviral Mathur, President of FORDA, says concernedly, "It is not the students' fault." He mentions that if seats were indeed not available, they ought not to have been notified by the NMC. The students could have applied for seats in other states then.
The FMGs who qualify for FMGE are required to apply for seats in a portal, in which they can choose both domicile and non-domicile options, explained Manisha Yadav, another FMG from Armenia. After the application, the state medical councils publish a merit list and allot the internship seats, under the directions of the NMC.
"The internships for FMGs in other states started on April 1. But we in Delhi are still clueless. This will affect our chances of appearing in the NEET PG exam next year," Manisha said. "When we approached the DMC, it stated that seats were not available and couldn't give us any information on when the merit list will be published. The authorities suggested we approach the NMC," she added.
On April 18, a group of about 25 students went to the NMC for clarification. Only one student was allowed in, and the concerned students state that the authorities were rude to him. A protest was held in front of the NMC on the same day. In a video of the same shared by FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association) on Twitter, the students are seen to be holding placards and asking for justice.
Ankit mentions that during their visit to the DMC, the FMGs were informed by the body's Registrar, Dr Girish Tyagi, that only 30 seats are available in Delhi. "But 250-260 students from the state are awaiting seats," Ankit tells. The registrar also informed them that Delhi would be offering seats to non-domicile candidates as well in a 5:1 ratio this time. "There are a total of 2100 applicants. No other state is giving seats to non-domicile candidates. Why Delhi is doing so is incomprehensible," Ankit says.
Worried, the students say that they are at a loss for action since both NMC and DMC have declined help. "We don't know what to do," says Ankit. Prominent hospitals in Delhi, including Safdarjung, Maulana Azad, Jamia Millia, Army and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) have denied the availability of seats, according to the FMGs. "We have reports of some hospitals turning down DMC requests for seat allotment," Dr Mathur says.
