Stipend Issue, Limited Seats: Around 100 FMGs in Rajasthan Uncertain over Internship
FMG Internship
Jaipur: Around 100 Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Rajasthan are facing problems in getting enrolled in the mandatory internship program due to stipend-related issues and a limited number of internship seats.
These medical graduates from abroad are set to join their mandatory internship programmes at ESIC Medical College, Alwar. However, their future remains uncertain due to technical and administrative hurdles, TOI has reported.
It has been almost five months since the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) allocated internship positions to the FMGs after they cleared the screening test, i.e., Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE).
However, these medical graduates from abroad are still waiting to commence their mandatory clinical training, without which they will not be able to get registered as doctors in India.
Since the deadline to join the internship programme passed on June 15, these medical graduates are left in a state of distress while their peers at other institutes have already commenced their hospital duties.
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the main obstacles for these students to join the internship programme include a complex web of limited number of seats, regulatory requirements, and stipend-related complications. While commenting on the issue, the Dean of ESIC Hospital, Dr. Asim Das, cited multiple challenges- including conflicting guidelines from various authorities.
Dr. Das said, "There's a Supreme Court ruling mandating stipends for all FMGs, while National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines allow paid internships for only 7.5% of total seats."
"This is a govt organisation where we are answerable for the audit. So how do we then differentiate the payment of the stipend? The Rajasthan govt is saying give a stipend to 7.5% of FMGs, but the question is which 7.5% out of the 100 FMGs," he added.
The problem is further worsened due to the limited capacity at ESIC Medical College. The institute is facing significant logistical challenges as it only has 100 internship seats available and an equal number of Indian Medical graduates are already competing for the same positions.
Explaining the issue, Dean Dr. Das said, "We have only 100 internship seats. There is going to be a clash of 100 FMGs and 100 Indian medical graduates against these seats."
Meanwhile, an affected foreign medical graduate, told TOI on the condition of anonymity, "We're running from pillar to post, but neither ESIC is accepting our applications nor are the RMC and medical education department taking proper notice of our situation."
