Confusion over RGUHS PG Final Exam Eligibility Requirements! Doctors Seek Clarity from NMC

New Delhi: Highlighting the concerns regarding the contradictory eligibility criteria set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the State Health Universities, the doctors have sought clarification from the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the Apex Medical Commission.

In this regard, the United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) referred to a recent notice issued by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) on 01.10.2024 and also the notice issued by NMC on 06.09.2024 and claimed that these two notices have created confusion in the minds of the PG students of the 2021 batch who are due to appear for their final exams.

As per NMC, the PG students appearing in the final exams are required to either present a poster, read one paper at a recognised conference, or publish a research paper as the first author in a journal. However, in a recent notice, RGUHS has asked the Head of the Institute to ensure that a PG student fulfils the requirement of presenting one poster presentation, reading one paper at a national/state conference, and presenting a research paper which should be published/accepted for publication/sent for publication during the period of his post-graduate studies.

Referring to these two notices, UDFA mentioned in the letter directed to the President of the PG Medical Board of NMC, "...students are unsure if fulfilling all these requirements is necessary or if completing just one would suffice for final exam eligibility."

"These requests have come from various states, including the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD), as well as from other states, all highlighting significant concerns regarding contradictory eligibility criteria set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and RGUHS," UDFA added.

Also Read: National Medical Commission relaxation: Now PG medical students can appear for exams without poster presentation or reading a paper at national, state conference

Representation from Karnataka: 

Earlier, the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) had written to UDFA and referring to NMC notice dated 06.09.2024, it had pointed out that students appearing in the final PG exams had to present one poster presentation or to read one paper at a national/Zonal/state conference of the respective speciality or to have one research paper published/accepted for publication as the first author in the journal of the respective speciality to become eligible.

KARD pointed out that as per the NMC notice dated 06.09.2024, chapter V section X states that "A post-graduate student of a degree course in broad specialities/super specialities would be required to present one poster presentation or to read one paper at a national/Zonal/state conference of the respective speciality or to have one research paper published/accepted for publication as the first author in the journal of the respective speciality to make him eligible to appear in the post-graduate degree examination."

However, on the other hand, RGUHS mentioned in the notice dated 01.10.2024, a copy of which is with the Medical Dialogues Team, mentioned, "Head of the Institution shall ensure that, a post graduate student is required to present one poster presentation, to read one paper at a national/state conference and to present one research paper which should be published/accepted for publication/sent for publication during the period of his post graduate studies."

As per the resident doctors in Karnataka, as the final-year students will be writing the exams in January, they have very little time left to complete paper, poster and publication. Pointing out that NMC makes either one of these mandatory, KARD had urged to make either paper or poster or publication compulsory as per the NMC notice.

Highlighting these concerns UDFA urged NMC to clarify on whether fulfilling any one of the conditions (poster, paper, or publication) would be deemed sufficient for final exam eligibility, rather than mandating all three.

Issue Regarding Attendance: 

Apart from this, the association had also sought clarity regarding the 80% attendance for each term of six months as around 150 students will be ineligible to give exams as they joined in April/May 2022 due to delay in All India and state Mop Up counselling and few in-service PGs as some of them got relieved from their parent departments late. In this regard, the association's request was to consider the attendance for all 3 years as mentioned in the NMC notice dated 10.04.2024.

Raising this issue, UDFA, in its letter to the NMC PG Board, also highlighted the concerns regarding the compulsory 80% attendance requirement per six-month term and pointed out that many students, especially those who faced delays in joining due to All India and State Mop-Up counselling or in-service PG responsibilities, may be at risk of ineligibility due to factors beyond their control. According to the association, this issue is affecting students from multiple states across India.

"...we seek clarity on attendance requirements, with consideration for students who were delayed in starting their academic term. We urge your immediate intervention in this matter to relieve the students of undue stress and ensure that policies are uniformly and fairly implemented across all institutions," the letter further mentioned.

Commenting on the matter, the President of UDFA, Dr. Lakshya Mittal told Medical Dialogues, "We have been receiving a significant number of grievances from postgraduate students of the 2021 batch across various states, including Karnataka. The main concerns revolve around contradictory notices issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and institutions like RGUHS, which are causing confusion regarding the eligibility criteria for final exams. The conflicting requirements for research publications, presentations, or posters, combined with strict attendance mandates, have left many students in distress, especially those who faced delays in joining their courses due to admissions in april-may via counselling or in-service responsibilities."

"We have officially approached the President of the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), NMC, requesting urgent clarification and consideration for these students. It is crucial that the NMC provides immediate and clear guidance to ensure students can prepare for their exams without unnecessary stress or fear of ineligibility due to circumstances beyond their control. The United Doctors Front Association stands in full support of these students and will continue to advocate for fair and just policies that prioritize their academic success and mental well-being," he added.

Also Read: PGMER 2023: PG Medicos must Fulfill these Conditions to Appear in Final Exam, Details