Foreign-educated docs demand percentile-based qualifying exam

Foreign-educated docs demand percentile-based qualifying exam

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:16.11.2020

Thousands of Indians who have studied medicine abroad and are mandated to pass Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) to gain eligibility to work as doctors in their home country, are demanding their scores be put out in percentile form.

According to the Association of MD Physicians (AMD), which is spearheading these medicos’ cause, percentile scoring would help more of the eligible to work in India, which is required given the pandemic scenario.

AMD estimates the number of foreign medical graduates awaiting recognition in the country runs up to 30,000.

FMGE is held twice a year and not more than a couple of thousand candidates end up clearing it. According to AMD, 17,789 doctors appeared for the exam in August 2020, and 1,197 passed. The minimum score to qualify is 150 out of 300.

“We have candidates writing FMGE since 2008. Many miss qualifying by 2-3 marks,” a foreign medical graduate said. Successful candidates have to intern for one year at any general hospital and then apply for medical council registration in respective states.

Foreign medical graduates see a deliberate design in making it impossible for many of them to pass FMGE. They point to Opaque practices like absence of revaluation, lack of provision to see answer script and unavailability of previous question papers.

They also point out that FMGE sticks to percentage-based evaluation, even though most other exams in the country are evaluated through percentile method.

Most of these doctors have passed courses equivalent to MBBS in Russia, the US, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, China, Germany, Nepal, Bangladesh and other countries.

A top Indian physician said FMGE mirrors the state of medical education in India. “Over 15 lakh students take undergraduate NEET for only 80,000 medical seats. Many of the rest end up going to countries like China, Mauritius and Russia, where medical education is cheaper. This entire process is only leading to projection of artificial shortage of doctors, which in turn is aiding medical colleges to increase their fee,” he explained.

“Results of so many candidates are withheld every year. If percentile is considered as qualifying criteria, a minimum of 7,000 doctors will get through the exam,” Dr Rajesh Rajan, president, AMD, said.

According to the website of National Board of Examinations (NBE), which conducts FMGE, 15,663 candidates wrote FMGE in December 2019 and results of 1,606 were withheld. Results of 535 candidates were announced later and 170 were declared ‘pass’.

AMD wrote to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, National Medical Commission, and also the NBE about its demand. NBE said changing qualifying criteria is beyond its purview.

Earlier this week, AMD approached the Delhi high court seeking a stay on the upcoming exam scheduled for December 4.

“When there are plenty of doctors trained in modern medicine around, the government is depending on medical students, Ayurveda and homoeopathy doctors to work in Covid wards. Isn’t this a joke?” said Dr Rajan.

Dr Devi Shetty, chairman, Narayana Health, said foreign medical graduates must be made to take up the final exit exam of Indian medical colleges. “FMGE candidates must be allowed to write the same final exam which students enrolled in Indian medical colleges are writing and the universities concerned can assess them,” said Dr Shetty.

Responding to TOI, NBE executive director Dr Pawanidra Lal said FMGE exam is equivalent to MBBS. “The passing criteria for MBBS students, appearing in first, second, third and fourth-year exams, is to secure 50% marks separately in theory and practicals for each subject. Hence, it is only justifiable that any equivalent exam shall also have the same level.”

“Percentiles are for ranking exams like NEET, postgraduation in medicine or super-speciality courses, where the candidates appearing have already secured 50% marks in the qualifying examination like MBBS or FMGE. The two are therefore not comparable,” he added.

On the allegation of results being withheld, Dr Lal said: “Result is withheld in case of those students, who fail to submit the required certificates prior to the examination. Once those are submitted, their results are declared.”