Students getting medical degree from PoK not allowed to practice in India: MCI

In a move that may affect Kashmiri students studying medicine in the colleges of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Medical Council of India (MCI) has said that any qualification obtained from illegally occupied Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will not be recognised in the country. 

In a public notice issued on Monday, the MCI has said that any person obtaining medical qualification from PoK will not be allowed to practice modern medicine in India.

"This is to inform all concerned that entire territories of UT of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the territory. Accordingly, any medical institution in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh  (PoJKL) requires permission/recognition under Indian Medical Council Act, 1956,” RK Vats, Secretary-General of MCI, said in the notice. 

Such permission has not been granted to any medical college in PoJKL, the notice said. 

"Therefore, any qualification obtained from medical colleges located within these illegally occupied areas of India shall not entitle a person for grant of registration under Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 to practice modern medicine in India," it added. 

Talking to WION over the phone, president of Jammu & Kashmir Medical Council president Dr Saleem Ur Rehman said that “we have standard guidelines as per MCI. Anyone coming from any country will have to get his qualifications verified from Ministry of Home affairs. Then we do the registration.”

The Registrar of IMC in J&K, Vijay Gupta, told WION an order in this regard has been issued.

Many students from J&K in the past have gone to PoK to study medicine, several of them on the recommendations of separatist leaders as there is a special quota for J&K students reserved by the Pakistan government.