Medical students approach court allow them to appear in exam

New Delhi, Jan 19 (UNI) Delhi High Court today issued notices to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to file its response within two weeks on the affidavit filed by the Union of India regarding the petition filed by a group of students who dispite getting their MBBS degree from Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhra Nepal are not being granted provisional certificate by the MCI.

Justice Gita Mittal directed the UOI and AIIMS to accept the forms for the entrance examination for Post Graduate Medical test of those students who have not been given the Provisional certificate by the MCI.

Justice Gita Mittal directed AIIMS, where the post graduate medical entrance examination will be held, to issue admit cards to the students and not to deny their application forms on the grounds that they are not accompanied by the registeration certificate with MCI.

The Judge directed the students to submit their application forms for the entrance test before January 21, 2008.

The Court also held that in case the examination is scheduled for a prior date the students should be allowed to undertake the examination. The Court directed AIIMS to withhold the result of the exams till further orders of the Court. The next date of hearing is February 27.

The matter relates to a petition filed by a few students studying in Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhra,Nepal who have stated that suddenly the MCI has stopped granting them provisional registeration certificates.

The students state that at the time of admission the college was recognised by MCI and the Union of India but in January 2007, the MCI acted in Violation of diplomatic protocol and sent a communication to the Manipal university at Nepal that recognition granted to Manipal college of Medical Sciences, Pokhran, Nepal will be withdrawn.although the recommendation of MCI is yet to be acted upon. The MCI has stopped giving provisional certificates to the students who passed out in current academic year and are required to do internship for one year.

The 400 effected students approached the MCI and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare but they were not heard so they filed a petition in the Court. In its reply the UOI has filed an affidavit in the Court stating that according to the provisions of section 12 of the Indian Medical Council Act 1956, medical qualifications granted by institutions outside India may be recognised under reciprocity scheme.

The affidavit states that the UOI had issued a notification on September 26 2001 which recognised the MBBS degree awarded by the Kathmandu University to the students of Manipal College Of Medical Sciences, Pokhra, Nepal.

The Court has directed MCI to respond to the affidavit filed by the UOI within two weeks. The next date of hearing is February 27,2008.

UNI SNG LS RAI1859