Regulatory Hurdles Push A.P. Medical Graduates to Seek Internships Outside State

Swift Summary:

• Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) Issue in Andhra Pradesh: Over 250 FMGs from andhra Pradesh have reportedly moved to other States such as Telangana, karnataka, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, adn Uttar Pradesh for compulsory internships due to delays in Permanent Registration (PR) issuance by the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC).
• Internship Requirement for PR: FMGs must clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Exam (FMGE) and complete a mandatory internship at a medical college to qualify for PR. Without prs, graduates cannot practice or study further in India.
• Pandemic Complications: Many FMGs studied parts of their courses online during the COVID pandemic but returned to campuses later for offline training. while some received “compensation certificates” validating offline completion, differing guidelines from authorities further complicated matters.
• NMC Guidelines: The National Medical Commission initially mandated a two-year internship but later adjusted this rule on June 19, 2024, allowing one-year internships for those with compensation certificates.
• Inconsistencies in APMC Policy: While States like Odisha and Karnataka accept one-year internships with compensation certifications as valid per RTI responses, APMC insists on two years due to incomplete details or mismatching documentation provided by students. Delays persist despite formation of an APMC body last year.
• Current challenges: Students who passed the January 2025 FMGE face slow verification processes delaying counseling and internship allotments. Meanwhile, neighboring councils report shortages accommodating migrating FMG students.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The delay in issuing Permanent Registrations highlights the administrative bottlenecks affecting medical graduates aiming to join India’s healthcare workforce-a critical sector especially post-pandemic. The divergence between State policies creates disparity among aspiring doctors who completed similar education abroad under remarkable circumstances caused by COVID-related disruptions.

While measures like thorough documentation checks may be justified to ensure legitimacy of credentials submitted during PR applications or counseling sessions, prolonged delays are hampering career progression of these graduates and compelling them to seek opportunities outside their home State. This not only raises questions about efficient governance within APMC but exacerbates brain-drain-like scenarios across states.

It is significant that other regions have adopted streamlined protocols aligning with national guidelines issued by NMC regarding internships based on compensation certificates; this variance suggests an urgent need for consistency across India’s medical councils. Efforts like Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav’s directive urging dialogue with NMC could expedite resolutions essential not just for affected students but also for reducing strain on interstate cooperation concerning medical education placements.

Until then though-uncertainty remains over future prospects of many qualified professionals waiting eagerly amidst procedural outcomes thay rely upon before initiating real-world contributions toward public health services nationwide at large.

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