Kashmiri MBBS graduates who studied abroad have urged the Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department to establish an examination center in Srinagar ahead of their scheduled exam in January next year.
For these students, the current requirement to travel to far-off cities like Delhi for exams such as the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) poses hardships to them.
“A center in Srinagar would ease our burden tremendously,” said Khushboo, a recent graduate from Srinagar. “The travel costs alone are a huge strain, not to mention finding affordable accommodation and dealing with unfamiliar cities,” she said.
“Students are compelled to travel to Delhi and other places. If we choose Jammu first preference but we get unexpected places not near the candidate’s state,” she said.
In the winter months, students from Kashmir face numerous challenges with transportation, as flights are often suspended due to harsh weather.
The students emphasize that a local examination center would be more than just convenient; it would improve their chances of succeeding.
“We just want the opportunity to serve our community without unnecessary obstacles,” she said. The graduates hope their appeal will prompt swift action, paving the way for smoother transitions into medical practice in Kashmir.
They also mentioned that an examination center was set up in Srinagar around four years ago, but there is currently no center in the city, despite the large number of foreign medical graduates.
FMGE is a licensure exam conducted for candidates who are Citizens of India/Overseas Citizen of India who possess Medical Degree awarded by a Foreign College or University and are desirous of getting registration with the Medical Council of India (MCI).
