THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore-Cochin Medical Council’s (TCMC) decision to deny registration of around 200 doctors who completed their postgraduate studies this year, has left the medicos in a lurch.
Now, the doctors are planning an agitation under the aegis of Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association (KMPGA) and seek government’s intervention.
The TCMC did not allow the doctors to register on the ground that the Medical Council of India (MCI) did not recognise their courses. Doctors require a TCMC registration to join super specialty courses and seek jobs. Non-registration also means that doctors continue to be treated as MBBS-qualified despite completing PG.
The 200 doctors were not the only ones to be affected by the TCMC decision, said KMPGA state president Dr Jathin.
“An estimated 600 doctors, who completed PG in the last three years, are still waiting for a TCMC registration. This cannot be justified,” said Dr Jathin. He added that they would approach the government to seek a solution.
“The issue is not new and has been around for quite some time. If the government does not take any step, then the KMPGA would be forced to agitate,” he stated.He also pointed out that the MCI, surprisingly, recognised some seats in the same departments of a medical college, but refused to recognise others.
“For instance, 10 out of 14 seats in the Medicine Department of Kottayam Medical College are recognised, while four are not. So, all PG doctors in the department have been denied the TCMC registration,” he said.He blamed the state government for creating the situation.
“The MCI allowed the government to admit students in PG courses on the assurance that it would address the issues needed for recognition. But, the government did not uphold its end of the bargain, which resulted in some seats losing MCI’s recognition,” he said, adding, “The doctor is not at fault for completing PG course from such seats. The government should have taken steps to get recognition.”
Travancore-Cochin Medical Council member and former IMA State President Sreejith N Kumar said the TCMC had written to the state government and the MCI on the steps to take regarding the registration. He, too, agreed that the doctors should get registration.“But, the TCMC cannot override the rules. If it allows registration to the PG qualified doctors, it would be in clear violation of the existing rules. It is now for the Centre to take a decision in the matter,” he said. State President of Kerala Government PG Medical Teachers’ Association Dr Ajith Prasad J S and IMA State President Dr A V Jayakrishnan were also in favour of allowing the doctors to register, lest their future be affected.