The Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment in favour of Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) Mitta Vamsi has sparked cautious optimism among hundreds of FMGs awaiting permanent registration.
While the ruling marks a significant step, uncertainty looms large as the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) remains non-committal on extending the same relief to other similarly placed candidates, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
Though the APMC has agreed to implement the court's direction in Vamsi’s case, it has refrained from clarifying its stance on hundreds of pending applications, triggering frustration among medical graduates and stakeholders. Many allege that the delay is not just bureaucratic but indicative of deeper, opaque motives that are jeopardising the careers of deserving doctors.
FMGs have been staging protests since June 30, asserting that their agitation will continue until all eligible graduates are granted registration without further delay.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Jaggumantri Laxmi Niharika and Nadigantti Sonia, both graduates from Bicol Christian College of Medicine in the Philippines, said, “Our internships in the Philippines must be recognised under the NMC’s July 30, 2020, notification. The High Court has already set a precedent in the Vamsi case. We urge APMC to act swiftly.”
Another graduate, Bathini Jessy Manisha from Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia, stated, “I was in India only from March to September 2020 due to COVID-19. APMC’s rejection does not apply to me. My compensation certificate should be accepted without unnecessary conditions.”
The Andhra Pradesh Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (APNA), which has been supporting FMGs for more than a month, welcomed the court’s ruling. APNA state president Dr A.V. Subba Reddy said the judgment vindicates the association’s stance on FMG eligibility and fair treatment.
He criticised APMC’s delay and its instruction to colleges not to issue internship certificates, calling it a “deliberate and targeted action.”
“If colleges issue valid one-year internship certificates, APMC cannot question their authenticity arbitrarily. Any doubts should be verified through proper channels, not by stalling students' futures,” Dr Reddy said. He urged the council to follow the Vamsi precedent and issue permanent registrations within two to three days to other eligible candidates.
Dr Reddy also highlighted the plight of FMGs, particularly those from economically weaker backgrounds. “Many have suffered financially and emotionally. Some have even taken up unrelated jobs. Issuing registrations is the least the authorities can do to correct this injustice,” he added.
When contacted by TNIE, APMC Chairman Dr Sreehari Rao confirmed that the High Court's order has been sent to the National Medical Commission (NMC). “We will issue permanent registration to the student after receiving the NMC’s opinion. We are reviewing other cases. There is no plan, as of now, to appeal the verdict,” he said.
However, Dr Rao did not commit to extending the same relief to over 475 FMGs in similar situations, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the issue.
