'Why am I Denied a Seat at Delhi's Hospital, After Clearing FMGE Exam?'

Only 42 students got seats in Delhi’s medical colleges. I was allotted a seat at the Lady Hardinge Medical College.

I'm a foreign Indian medical student from Russia, and I cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in December 2022.

I'm one of the 42 students who made it to the merit list and was allotted a seat by the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) at a hospital in Delhi to complete my internship.

However, my dream of pursuing a successful medical career was shattered when these hospitals denied our internships at the very last minute—denying 38 students out of the 42 the opportunity to gain practical knowledge.

I completed my MBBS in Russia and graduated in June 2022. According to the National Medical Commission (NMC), for a doctor to practice in India, they must clear a screening exam (FMGE) and complete a 12-month training period of a compulsory internship.

I prepared for the exam and cleared the FMGE exam in December 2022. On 10 February, the DMC released a circular for people wanting to pursue internships in Delhi. I was confident enough that after scoring well, I would get a seat in Delhi, so I only applied in Delhi and did not apply anywhere else.

I eagerly awaited the internship, but it had been over three months, and still, there was yet to be an update. After multiple visits to the DMC and complaints, they finally released a merit list on 27 April 2023.

Only 42 students got seats in Delhi’s top medical colleges, and I was so glad to be one of them. I was allotted a seat at the Lady Hardinge Medical College.

All of us were asked to report to the hospital within seven days or else our internship would be cancelled or passed on to the next deserving candidate.

Internship Seat Denied at Last Minute

On the very next day, that is, on 28 April, I and other students went to the hospital. The academic office there confirmed our internships, and we were also asked to sign an affidavit stating that FMGS would not ask for any internship or stipend during the training period, to which we agreed.

We were told that our internship would begin by 3 May. But on 1 May, just two days before our training, we were informed that no seats were left.

When we went to the hospital with all our documents, we were asked to wait for further instructions, and then we were told to meet the registrar.

Once we met the registrar, he refused to give us our seats, and we were told that students had already taken the seats for the following session from the November 2022 FMGE exams. We were told that there were no vacancies left.

We were denied our internships, and the registrar informed us that we could only get internships if NMC issued another notice stating that more students could be taken.

None of us could believe what had happened. First, we were promised an internship, we studied hard for it, cleared the exam, and once we were ready, we were denied our internship. We felt helpless and visited the DMC office and wrote about the same to NMC and the health ministry.

But action has yet to be taken, and the plight continues. Only four students out of all those who had applied got an internship. We contacted the health ministry, PM office and CM office to submit multiple applications, but there has been no positive response.

'After Our MBBS Degrees, We are Still Jobless'

We cleared this exam on merit and are waiting for our internship to start because we cannot practice as doctors in India without that.

I graduated a year ago, and I'm still sitting at home without a job. I don't want to waste another year waiting to hear back from the authorities.

We’ve already spent so much time, it all seems so unfair. Many of us went to study on an education loan, and we need to repay that, if there is no job for us, how will we do that?

In a nation where healthcare is crumbling, why are we letting go of all these doctors with the skills to go to waste? Why is NMC not helping us by incorporating us into the healthcare system?

Our future is at stake; the authorities' delay in action should not jeopardise our dreams and aspirations.

The Quint has reached out to Lady Hardinge Medical College. Their Response is awaited. The story would be updated once a response is received.

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