Victory for Foreign Medical Graduates: A.P. High Court Demands APMC to Grant PR, Bringing Hope and Relief!

In a significant victory for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Andhra Pradesh, the High Court has issued a ruling that could reshape their future in the medical field. On July 9, a Division Bench overturned a prior decision made by a Single Judge on April 28, mandating the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) to issue Permanent Registrations (PRs) to FMGs in accordance with a crucial notification from the National Medical Commission (NMC) dated June 19, 2024. This development comes after FMGs had been advocating for their rights for over 13 months.

The legal battle began when FMGs filed a writ petition urging the High Court to direct the APMC, represented at the time by its Registrar, to grant PRs after fulfilling the essential one-year internship requirement. In its initial response, the APMC referenced NMC guidelines from November and December 2023, arguing that the FMGs had not adequately compensated for their online studies during the pandemic with sufficient offline learning, thus leading to their PR requests being denied.

On April 28, the Single Judge dismissed the petition, citing an NMC notification from June 7, 2024, which outlined a new requirement for a two-year internship for those who had completed part of their medical education online due to COVID-19. However, this directive faced backlash from FMGs nationwide, prompting the NMC to issue a revised notification on June 19. The latest update clarified that FMGs who had balanced their online classes with offline examinations were eligible for a one-year internship.

Despite many states acknowledging the June 19 notification and granting one-year internships to qualifying FMGs, Andhra Pradesh opted to adhere to the earlier two- or three-year internship requirements, citing inadequacies in the compensation certificates presented by the FMGs.

In its July 9 ruling, the Divisional Bench found that the Single Judge had failed to consider the critical public notice from June 19 before dismissing the petition. The court mandated the APMC to confer PR to the appellant, who had completed the one-year internship as required under the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations of 2021. The Bench stated that the APMC should verify the appellant’s documentation, and if all criteria set forth in the June 19 notice were met, the PR must be granted.

Notably, the Bench emphasized that should the APMC have doubts regarding the authenticity of the documents, it would be their responsibility to validate them. The court has stipulated a deadline for completion of this process by August 9, creating a timeline that reflects the urgency of the matter.

The verdict has been warmly received by the Andhra Pradesh Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (APNA). A.V. Subba Reddy, President of APNA, expressed optimism that this judgment marks the end of the longstanding injustice faced by FMGs over the past year. He asserted that now it is essential for the APMC to extend PRs to all eligible candidates who fulfill the necessary criteria established by the court.

This ruling is poised to bring significant changes to the landscape for FMGs in Andhra Pradesh, offering hope to many who have navigated a challenging and often complex path in their medical careers. As the August 9 deadline approaches, many await not just clarity but also their rightful recognition in the medical field.

Published – July 13, 2025 03:45 am IST

Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/foreign-medical-graduates-get-relief-as-ap-high-court-asks-apmc-to-issue-pr-to-appellant/article69804940.ece
Category : Andhra Pradesh
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Publish Date: 2025-07-13 03:45:00