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By Prathiba Raju and Siddharth Mala
New Delhi: A wave of frustration and concern has swept through Indian medical students pursuing their degrees in the Philippines against the National Medical Commission (NMC) regarding the notification that has raised questions about the validity of their medical degrees earned in the Philippines. Parents and students are demanding exemptions from the new regulations, which they say threaten their academic and financial investments.
In a significant turn of events, hundreds of parents of Indian students pursuing medical degrees in the Philippines staged a protest in New Delhi, on Thursday, demanding exemptions from recent regulations issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC). These regulations, issued in a Gazette notification on March 25, 2022, have left the students concerned about the validity of their degrees and the duration of their courses.
The demonstration occurred at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where concerned parents assembled to express their grievances about the recent regulations introduced by the NMC. Numerous students are currently enrolled in Bachelor of Science (BS) programmes in the Philippines, which serves as a fundamental step towards their pursuit of medical degrees (MD). As per the students and their families, the implementation of these regulations would impose an extra financial strain and prolong the duration of their studies beyond the initially agreed-upon timeframe.
ETHealthworld interacted with medical students currently studying in the Philippines and their parents residing in India to discuss this issue.
The students and their parents argue that the Gazette notification, which introduced these regulations, was issued after they had already enrolled in their respective courses. They claim that the notification contradicts earlier assurances made by the NMC, stating that students who took admissions before November 18, 2021, would be exempt from these rules.
Kashish Krishna Yadav, first-semester, MD, AMA School of Medicine, Philippines, shared her concerns by stating, “It is very difficult for us, we didn’t have much time to react, and we had already invested a significant amount of money. It’s difficult studying when you don’t know whether your degree will be valid in your home country.”
She emphasised that India and Philippines have a similar disease pattern, which makes the country an attractive destination for Indian medical aspirants. However, she expressed her distress over the uncertainty surrounding the validity of her degree in India due to the regulations.
Abhishek Dilip Gaikwad, second-semester, MD, Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF), highlighted, “The NMC regulations have put a lot of stress on our minds. We are constantly worried about the validity of our degrees, and it’s affecting our ability to focus on our studies.”
The mental stress the NMC regulations have placed on students and the constant fear of the validity of their degrees affects their motivation to study, he further added.
Dr Priyanka Gaikwad, mother of Abhishek Dilip Gaikwad, emphasised, “We enrolled our children in medical courses in the Philippines before the Gazette was released, and it didn’t mention anything about the invalidity of their course. We want the NMC to exempt our children from this Gazette.”
The primary demand is for exemptions for students who enrolled in medical courses in the Philippines before November 18, 2021. She mentioned that the sudden change in regulations has caused significant anxiety among students and parents and may lead to career insecurity, further added Dr Gaikwad.
Krishna Yadav, Father of Kashish Krishna Yadav, highlighted the financial sacrifices made by parents to send their children to the Philippines for medical education. He urged the NMC to consider the students’ patriotic intent to serve their country as doctors and called for the exemption of the 2021 and 2022 batches from the Gazette regulations.
The demonstrators pointed out that they had made multiple attempts to communicate with the NMC, such as using phone calls and engaging in meetings with officials, yet they had not received a favourable response. Despite their persistent efforts, they were denied an opportunity to have a discussion with the NMC President when over 200 parents visited on Thursday. Initially, they were informed that five representatives would meet with them, then they were told that the president was unavailable, and finally, they were informed that a meeting was not possible, as stated by Yadav.
The protesters have expressed their frustration with the lack of communication and understanding from the NMC and the potential dire consequences these regulations could have on their academic and professional pursuits. They continue to call for urgent attention and resolution to their grievances, emphasising their desire to serve as licensed doctors in India upon completion of their degrees. The uncertainty surrounding the future of these students and the financial strain on their families has sparked a nationwide outcry, and they continue to seek a resolution that will secure their medical careers.
