73 medical students not given internship opportunity even after clearing FMGE

By Our Staff  Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 19 : 73 medical students from Manipur who have successfully cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) are currently facing challenges due to the lack of internship provisions.
These medical students, who completed their MBBS or similar degrees from institutions in foreign countries, cleared the FMGE conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences last December.
However, these students, who aspire to practice medicine, haven't been provided internship positions even after clearing the crucial FMGE.
 The Manipur Medical Council, on June 19, issued a notice allowing them to undergo the Compulsory Rotary Medical Internship Training Course at Churachandpur Medical College, following counselling.
Likewise, the CMC also issued a notice on July 16, allowing these 73 students to pursue internships.
These medical students told The Sangai Express that despite clearing the FMGE, 73 of them were denied internship positions at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).
They said that some of their batchmates had already started their internship.
They also said that it is mandatory for Indian or overseas citizens who have completed MBBS or similar courses from institutions recognised by National Medical Commission (NMC) to undergo internship to obtain a medical license or pursue further studies.
These students stressed that they will miss the cutoff for pursuing postgraduate (PG) courses, resulting in a loss of valuable years if they don't start their internship by July 30.
They also pointed out that despite a Supreme Court directive mandating stipends for FMGE-qualified interns, this directive remains unimplemented, leaving them without the stipend they are entitled to.
Saying that the matter of stipend is a secondary concern, the FMGE-cleared students urged the relevant authority to provide them with a chance to start their internship before July 30.