8 years on, Medical College still waits for MCI degree recognition, despite inspections

Hyderabad: Students of Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Karimnagar, who have completed a diploma in Child Health postgraduate course, are unable to apply for government jobs, as Medical Council of India (MCI) has refused to register their certificates. The plight exists for not just one but the past six batches ( total 12 doctors) which have passed the said course from this medical college.

The reason cited is very simple, while the MCI had given the letter of permission (LoP) to PIMS to start the two year PG diploma course in 2009, MCI is yet to give official recognition to the course despite conducting several inspections.Most recently , it inspected the college in 2014 and 2016 reports TOI.

Students spend lacs on specialized courses at private medical institutions and continue to exist in tight corners. A recent example is examinations advertised for by the Telangana state government for posts in primary health centres. None of the PIMS students are being able to apply for these examinations, as their certificates are yet to be registered. "Despite clearing my two-year PG diploma course five years ago and spending Rs 28 lakhs, I can neither practice as a pediatrician nor apply for government job without getting my certificate registered with the Telangana State Medical Council first," said a student.

Doctors harmed by course recognition delays, while threatening to take the apex body to court, also revealed that 6 batches of specialist doctors of the college had been affected till now.

Giving their side of the story, Dr E Ravinder Reddy,Chairman,Telangana State Medical Council, clarified,"Under the rules, we cannot register the certificate of a PG medical graduate from any medical college unless that particular course is recognized by the MCI. The rule is simple: No recognition, no registration.”

Though private medical colleges can admit students in any course, merely by obtaining an LoP, it is not enough for approval for the course. "LoP is to start the course, but if the seats are not recognized later on, the students will not be considered specialists till the institution gets recognition. No state medical council will register their degrees. The college management should be blamed for not fulfilling the criteria," said K Ramesh Reddy , Member, MCI.

According to representatives of the Telangana Private Medical Colleges Association, delaying recognition to a course, is a regular approach adopted by the MCI. "Even after giving an LoP to start a course, we have seen that MCI takes three to four years to give recognition."

"We are not at fault, as we fulfilled all conditions needed to obtain recognition," said Achanta Vivekananda, Dean, PIMS, justifying the college management's stand, as reported by TOI.