Kerala MBBS grads to finally get registrations: HC directs KUHS, Medical Colleges to immediately issue Degree, Internship Completion Certificates
Kochi: In a recent development, the Kerala High Court has directed the Medical Colleges in the state to immediately issue internship completion certificates to medical students after successful completion of their one-year internship. Moreover, the bench, in its interim order issued on Tuesday, has also directed the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) to give the students their degree certificates so that they can get their registrations as medical practitioners.
This comes after 29 MBBS students of the 2015 batch, challenged a Government Order that extended their internship by three months. Although the plan was later revoked, the students couldn't get their registrations as medical practitioners as there was a delay in issuing internship and degree certificates to the MBBS graduates.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Kerala House Surgeons from the batch of 2015, completing the Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) this year, opposed the decision to extend their CRRI for 3 months by the Medical Education Department.
The house surgeons, under the banner of the Kerala House Surgeons Association (KHSA) was planning to go on infinite strike if the authorities force the internship extension. They had also decided to approach the esteemed High Court as the government had issued an order contrary to the KHSA's stand on the matter.
Following this, the authorities had finally agreed to give permanent registration to the house surgeons who had completed one-year CRRI and to appoint them in the Non-Academic JR post with the prescribed salary.
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, although the earlier plan of extending the internship did not take place, the students couldn't get registered as there was a delay in issuing internship and degree certificates to them.
The Counsel for KUHS submitted during the hearing of the petition that extending the internship period was not legally sustainable as the medical curriculum couldn't be modified by any other authorities other than the National Medical Commission (NMC), erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI). It was further submitted on the behalf of KUHS that the University was legally bound to issue degree certificates so that the students could get registered with the council and start practice as doctors.
Mentioning that the order is a great relief for students, KUHS sources told TOI that without the registration, the students were unable to wither practice medicine or join higher education.
