Education and Career Forum

A group of 40 Indian students, who received the doctor of medicine degree from the Philippines, have moved the Delhi High Court after the Medical Council of India (MCI) allegedly denied them permission to practice in the country.

Taking note of the petition, Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued notice to the central government and MCI seeking their response by November 21, the next date of hearing.

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed against the MCI by 40 students who got their medical degrees from Angeles University Foundation in the Philippines after their 2007-10 course.

The court directed the Centre to find out whether the doctor of medicine degree was recognised in the Philippines.

Appearing for the petitioners, counsel KN Jayasankar submitted that the MCI gave provisional certificates to practice as doctor to four candidates who passed out from the same university but denied it to others.

He said the petitioners, who hailed from various parts of India, cleared the screening test conducted by MCI for issue of provisional certificates for practice as doctor to foreign medical degree holders.

Even then the council refused to recognise the degree.

MCI's counsel cited the central government's amended gazette notification 2002 listing foreign universities recognised by it.

You must pursue MBBS from the list of universities provided by MCI in their official website. They have the right to stop you from practicing, if the university doesn't feature in this list.

However, you have a strong case if some students are allowed to practice and others are not. If MBBS from the given university is valid in that country then it should be valid in India after clearing MCI screening test.