Gujarat High Court Issues Notice On Philippines-Returned Medical Grads' Plea Seeking Permanent Registration Without Compulsory Internship

The Gujarat High Court has issued a notice on a writ petition filed by a total of 46 Indians, who studied medicine in Philippines, for issuance of directions to the Gujarat Medical Council for grant of permanent registration without asking for 12 months internship under Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021.

The single judge bench of Justice Vaibhavi D Nanavati issued the notice to state government, National Medical Council and Gujarat Medical Council for April 26.

"Considering the aforesaid submissions, it is open for the petitioners herein to apply for FMG CRMI (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) & Provisional Registration and the same would be subject to final outcome of this petition," said the court.

The petitioners submitted that after completion of 12th standard, they studied Medicine in different Universities in Philippines and have completed their degree course of Doctor of Medicine, which is equivalent to MBBS in India, and internship of 12 months as per the prevailing rules and regulations at Philippines prior to 18.11.2021.

The petitioners contended that considering the fact that the Notification issued by the NMC for the internship came into effect from 18.11.2021 and since they have graduated prior to 18.11.2021, the notification would not be applicable to them.

It has also been alleged that similarly situated foreign medical graduates from Philippines have been granted permanent registration without insisting on 12 months of CRMI by Gujarat Medical Council in the previous year. The petitioners have argued that the Gujarat Medical Council is knowingly misinterpreting the CRMI Regulations, 2021 to force them to do the internship.

The court was also informed that the petitioners have cleared the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination. 

Case Title: Dobaria Devang Arvindbhai vs. The State Of Gujarat R/SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 7240 of 2023

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