On April 15, 2023, an amendment was made to the Information Bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023 – Clause 5.2.2. The eligibility of OCI cardholders for NEET (UG) is covered by this provision. The previous modification to the clause was published on March 4, 2023, in accordance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court Order dated March 2, in W.P. No. 891 of 2021.

The modified clause, it has been discovered, was unintentionally written in a way that did not adequately reflect the intent of the honorable Supreme Court order. A fresh corrigendum has been published as a result to correct the error.

In accordance with the ruling of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in W.P. (C) 891/2021 and related proceedings, the Ministry of Home Affairs in India recently modified the eligibility requirements for Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) applicants for NEET (UG), Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons with Indian Origin (PIO), and Foreign Nationals. Aspiring OCI, NRI, and PIO candidates are advised about the modified clause in Clause 5.2.2 of the Information Bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023 dealing with the eligibility of OCI cardholders for NEET (UG), which supersedes a previous corrigendum on the topic dated March 31, 2023.

Existing Provision

According to the previous regulation, to be eligible for admission against any seat solely allocated for Indian citizens, including paid seats at deemed universities, an OCI cardholder must be treated as a foreign national possessing a foreign passport. The revised clause, however, now states that admission to medical, dental, ayurvedic, siddha, unani, and homoeopathic colleges is open to Indian citizens as well as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), and Foreign Nationals, depending on the rules and regulations established by the relevant State Governments, Institutions, and the Government of India, as the case may be.

OCI shall be entitled to the rights and privileges that had been granted to them prior to the notification of 04/03/2021, in accordance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court Order dated February 3, 2023, in W.P. No. 891 of 2021. The rights to which an OCI cardholder shall be entitled under the Citizenship Act of 1955 were previously specified by the Ministry of Home Affairs. An OCI cardholder will have parity with Non-Resident Indians in the matter of appearing for all India entrance tests such as the Joint Entrance Examination (Main), Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced), or such other tests to make them eligible for admission only against any Non-Resident Indian seat or any supernumerary seat, according to clause (4) (ii) of the aforementioned notification. 

It is significant to note that holders of PIO cards and foreign nationals would not be permitted to sit in any seat designated for Indian nationals only. OCI/PIO will therefore be considered foreigners and will only be eligible for NRI seats, not Indian National Seats, including paid seats at recognized universities.

In accordance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court Order dated 03.02.2023 in W.P No. 891 of 2021, Clause 5.2.2 of the Information Bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023 has been modified to expand the qualifying requirements for OCI candidates. In accordance with the norms and guidelines established by the relevant State Governments, Institutions, and the Government of India, the modified clause offers OCI candidates the same rights and benefits as they were previously entitled to.

All BDS and MDS/PG Diploma programme counselors at dental colleges have been warned by the Dental Council of India (DCI) to exercise greater caution when providing allotment letters to applicants. The DCI issued the warning after discovering that some students were using fake NEET result cards and admissions letters to gain unfair admission. The council has asked that all necessary measures be taken to prevent applicants who produce phoney documents or NEET results from being given seats.

In dentistry schools all over India, both undergraduate and graduate programmes are based on the National Eligibility and Common Entrance Test (NEET) exams. While the MDS postgraduate programmes are based on the NEET MDS test, the BDS undergraduate programme is based on the NEET UG exam. Admission to these courses is solely contingent upon meeting the NEET eligibility requirements, and these exams are administered once a year at the national level.

An Act of Parliament created the DCI to oversee the dental profession and uphold the nation’s highest standards for dental education. The council is required by law to take the necessary actions to uphold India’s highest standards for dental education.

Any dental certification issued by a person, authority, or institution is not legitimate, according to the DCI, unless it complies with the requirements of the DCI Act and Regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the pertinent clauses of Sections 10, 10A, and 10B of the 1948 Dentists Act.

The DCI’s warning intends to make sure that only worthy applicants gain seats based on their quality and eligibility, and that the admissions process to dental institutions is fair and transparent. The council has urged all relevant agencies to increase their vigilance and take the required precautions to avoid allocating seats to applicants who provide fabricated or fraudulent documents or NEET results.

Two doctors, Dr. Ch. Srikanth and Dr. Karan M. Patel, have been severely disciplined by the Telangana State Medical Council and suspended from practicing medicine for periods of three and six months, respectively. Due to his negligence and failure to refer a patient to a more advanced facility, Dr. Srikanth was judged to have engaged in misconduct. According to the Indian Medical Council (professional conduct, etiquette, and ethics) Regulations 2002, he has been given a three-month sentence.

In the second instance, it was discovered that Dr. Karan M. Patel had grossly misbehaved by operating on a patient’s foot. The general body of the council consequently voted to revoke his registration for a period of six months and to remove him from the medical register for the same amount of time.

According to the IMC regulations, both doctors have been advised that they have a 60-day window in which to appeal to the National Medical Commission.

By this action, all doctors are now reminded to rigorously abide by the ethical principles and codes of conduct established by the Indian Medical Council and the Telangana State Medical Council. The council has a responsibility to safeguard the interests of patients, and any negligence or improper behavior on the part of doctors will be severely punished.

The choice to punish the two doctors so severely will definitely convey a clear message to the medical community about the value of abiding by ethical standards and acting with professionalism and honesty. To preserve the confidence of the general public and the profession, it is crucial to ensure that all doctors adhere to the highest standards of medical practise.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur MBBS students have finally gotten their demand to abolish the uniform clothing rule after months of social media demonstrations. Days after the students and the new executive director, Dr. MH Rao, met to discuss their concerns, the decision was made. The mess, hostel, and campus admission times have also been loosened, allowing students to be up to five minutes late without being suspended, in addition to the alteration in the clothing code.

According to their social media posts, this judgment is the first significant success for students who have been battling these regulations since 2018. After the then-director Major General (ret.) Vibha Dutta, refused to respond to their demands, the students resorted to Twitter in December of last year to vent their complaints.

After Dutta’s stint at AIIMS Nagpur came to an end, Dr. Rao was recently given extra responsibility. He has received appreciation for his handling of student criticism. To make sure the students were at ease and could speak freely, he met with them behind closed doors without the instructors there. The students made long-overdue demands during the meeting, including the removal of the clothing code and an easing of the rigid entry, lodging, and meal schedules.

Need Guidance for Admission in Top Colleges

Boys can now follow the new dress code by donning formal trousers and a full-sleeved shirt, while girls can either wear a salwar kurta with sleeves or formal trousers and a full-sleeved shirt. This change was notified in a note from the dean (academics), Dr. Mrunal Phatak. Every student is required to wear black shoes, socks, and an apron with the institute’s insignia on the half-sleeve.

AIIMS Nagpur Schedule

The opening hours of the learning resource facility have been increased from 7 a.m. to midnight, with campus hours beginning at 11 pm and hostel hours beginning at 2 a.m. Hostel in-timing used to start at 11 p.m. The adjustments are anticipated to increase student comfort and lessen the strain of rigid restrictions, allowing students to concentrate on their coursework and other campus activities.

A brand-new Whole Body 3.0 Tesla MRI machine has been unveiled by the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, India. This machine is equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software that is intended to deliver advanced imaging capabilities for a variety of clinical specialties. The device is the most recent model of the most cutting-edge 3 Tesla MRI scanner available anywhere in the world, and it was unveiled by Union Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Rajesh Bhushan.

The new machine, according to Prof. Vivek Lal, Director of PGIMER, will help shorten the lengthy waitlist for MRI appointments at the facility, while Prof. M. S. Sandhu, Head of the Department of Radiodiagnosis, claimed that the potent hardware combined with advanced applications (software) based on artificial intelligence will improve diagnosis and treatment planning for all clinical specialties at the hospital.

The 3 Tesla MRI machine can provide clear, vivid images of the human body because it has a magnetic field twice as strong as the typical 1.5 Tesla MRI equipment. The device is perfect for imaging the brain’s vascular system, musculoskeletal system, tiny bones, and brain function. The machine also includes a ‘Quiet Suite’ for up to 96% noise reduction while scanning, wide bore and in-bore lighting for a more comfortable patient experience, biomatrix technology for improved patient scanning, and wide bore and in-bore illumination.

The device has advanced imaging capabilities for all bodily areas, including automated liver volumetry, high-resolution brain tractography, functional MRI, spectroscopy, perfusion MRI, 4D flow measures, liver elastography, and fat quantification, among others. The advanced MRI imaging capability on the new machine, according to Prof. Paramjeet Singh, will provide early insights for cancer detection and characterization, epilepsy and seizure disorders, sports injuries and rehabilitation, liver, pancreas, kidney, intestinal, and other abdominal disorders, spine anomalies, nerve compressions, white matter anomalies in the brain, neonatal and paediatric disorders, cardiac morphology and viability, and whole body screening.

The device is anticipated to considerably enhance the institute’s patient care offerings by offering better diagnosis and treatment planning for a range of clinical specialties.

Candidates who have applied for the DNB-PDCET 2023 have been given one final chance by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to submit any missing documentation. The list of applicants who need to provide missing paperwork has been made public, and the due date is April 16, 2023, at 11:55 p.m. Note that only the Online Deficient Document Submission Portal, which can be accessed by clicking the link https://exam.natboard.edu.in/pdcet.php, is the place where papers can be uploaded.

Candidates must make any necessary corrections to their applications by the last day for rectification in order to avoid being disqualified. Admit cards won’t be given out to candidates who are ruled ineligible before the exam is held.

The application’s deficiencies mainly relate to the failure to submit the Certificate of PG Medical Diploma Qualification, the Bonafide Certificate attesting to the name of the Medical College for the PG Medical Diploma Qualification, the status of recognition of the PG Medical Diploma Qualification, and the mismatch between the applicant’s and the certificate’s names. Candidates are urged to thoroughly evaluate their submissions and make sure all necessary paperwork is sent in by the deadline.

The 2023 admission session’s rating test for admission to various Post Diploma DNB programmes is called DNB-PDCET 2023. On a computer-based platform, the National Board of Examinations will administer the medical sciences exam. Candidates must provide the required paperwork because it will be checked during the admissions/counseling process.

Candidates are recommended to often monitor the National Board of Examinations’ official website for any updates and notices pertaining to DNB-PDCET 2023. To prevent uncertainty or misunderstanding, it is also crucial to read and comprehend the clauses specified in the Information Bulletin for DNB-PDCET 2023. All applicants receive the warmest wishes from the National Board of Examinations for success in their exams and future endeavors.

The Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations, 2022, which the National Medical Commission (NMC) recently amended, would have a significant impact on the eligibility requirements for foreign postgraduate qualifications in Indian medical institutions.

The Commission had previously stated that holders of PG medical degrees from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand would be qualified for the position of Assistant Professor in the relevant department, and his subsequent promotions would be in accordance with TEQ regulations.

The NMC has since changed the regulations, stating that foreigners with postgraduate medical degrees from the five English-speaking nations will henceforth be taken into account for teaching positions at Indian medical institutions based on their prior expertise in the medical sciences.

According to the modified rule, if a candidate has an MBBS from India, a recognized PG degree from one of the five English-speaking nations listed in section 12.1 of the rules, and meets the requirements listed in section 12.1, he or she will be given consideration for a teaching position in an Indian medical college based on their prior experience instructing medical students.

The NMC’s action is anticipated to increase the number of qualified individuals from 

English-speaking nations who wish to teach in India and to expand the pool of candidates who are qualified for teaching posts in medical schools in India.

According to the regulations, in order to maintain a standard of teaching in medical institutions, faculty members must be appointed and promoted in accordance with the minimum qualifications and experience prescribed in these Regulations in order to teach graduate and postgraduate medical students in medical institutions that fall under the jurisdiction of the National Medical Commission.

The regulations stipulated “General norms regarding Foreign Postgraduate Qualifications for Equivalence,” which set forth the requirements for professors joining Indian medical academia with foreign PG degrees.

The revised regulations, designated as the “Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations (Amendment), 2023,” were released on March 31, 2023, and will be in effect as of that day.

The NMC’s action is anticipated to raise the standard of medical education in India and entice more skilled workers into the field, which would ultimately help the nation’s patients and healthcare industry.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently received a request for clarification from the Gujarat Medical Council about a matter involving MBBS graduates from the Philippines. Even though they attended the same universities and countries as the June 2022 batch, who received their permanent registration numbers after finishing their degrees in the Philippines and returning to India, the December 2022 batch of students has not yet received one from the NMC.

The Gujarat State Medical Council has written to the NMC to request an explanation in light of this circumstance. Sources claim that MBBS graduates from the Philippines who graduate before November 18, 2021, are exempt from the requirement to complete a one-year internship upon returning to India. Students who returned in 2022 are not subject to this restriction, though.

The National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021, which went into force on November 18, 2021, were previously issued by the National Medical Commission. All admissions made after that date must comply with these rules, which mandate that foreign medical graduates be given temporary registration for at least a year while they complete a supervised internship in India.

The Gujarat Medical Council has received complaints from Filipino MBBS graduates about the delay in acquiring their permanent registration numbers from the NMC. They are unable to enroll for postgraduate exams without these numbers, which is very upsetting and worrying. The Council has referred to this scenario as a discrepancy and is looking for a quick fix.

The Gujarat Medical Council has asked the Commission for explanation after hearing that the NMC guidelines are the cause of the discrepancy. The Council will be able to provide impacted foreign medical graduates with permanent registration numbers once they hear back from the NMC.

This circumstance emphasizes the difficulties international medical graduates have in India and the requirement for increased transparency and clarity in the registration procedure. Hopefully, a suitable resolution may be reached for all parties involved with the help of the Gujarat Medical Council and the NMC.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a warning to medical students in India, warning them to be wary of bogus MBBS seat allotment letters being provided. According to the Commission, phoney letters bearing the purported signature of the NMC Secretary are being sent by fraudsters to unwary students and their parents.

In reaction to these fraudulent actions, the NMC has clarified on its official website, nmc.org.in, that neither it nor any member of its board issues letters of admission to medical institutions. The Commission has warned parents and guardians of pupils not to fall for these scam artists’ tricks and to report any such letters they receive right away to the police.

The NMC has also stressed that such instances aim to damage the commission’s reputation and undermine the most stringent norms and regulations in the medical industry. Students have been reassured by the Commission that it will continue to monitor and warn prospective medical students about these false admissions.

It is crucial to remember that the National Eligibility Completion Entrance Test (NEET) is the only way to gain admission to MBBS seats in all medical institutes in the nation, including AIIMS. The National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the NEET exam, and applications are accepted until April 13th. A record 21 lakh applications were submitted for the NEET UG Exam 2023, which will be held on May 7. This is an increase over the 18.72 lakh students who submitted applications last year.

Parents and medical students are advised to exercise caution and only depend on official sources when seeking information on admission to medical colleges. They should also alert the proper authorities to any questionable actions involving admissions to medical colleges.

Click here to see the NMC notice

Postgraduate medical students in Manipur will be assigned to various district hospitals as part of the National Medical Council’s (NMC) district residency programme in an effort to guarantee that specialized program physicians are accessible in rural areas.

Health Minister Sapam Ranjan introduced the district residence program for postgraduate medical students in the state on Monday at the Medical Directorate in Lamphelpat. Postgraduate medical residents from RIMS and JNIMS would be sent to different district hospitals, the Imphal Times said. They will work there for three months.

Health Minister Sapam Ranjan made reference to the National Medical Council’s requirement that postgraduate medical students complete this program in his speech. He also reaffirmed the postgraduate resident’s responsibility and counseled medicos to become familiar with medical protocols because they are medical experts. He asserted that as the profession’s guiding principle is to serve the public with sincerity, one should offer the public excellent service.

The ministerial team visited the newly constructed health directorate office and its environs following the program’s debut. According to a report by the Daily, Vumlunmang, the Additional Chief Secretary of Health Services Manipur, Kh Sasheekumar Mangang, the Director of Health Services, as well as representatives from RIMS and JNIMS and employees of the Medical Directorate, attended the ceremony.

Notably, the NMC has mandated that postgraduate medical students do a three-month rotation at a district hospital. Medical students participating in postgraduate programmes at the city’s government hospital will be required to work at city government, government-aided, and semi-aided hospitals under the proposal, according to state health officials.

Students accepted to private medical colleges and deemed universities must additionally complete the DRP, or District Residency Programme. For the purposes of this project, a district hospital must be an operational, publicly funded hospital with at least 100 beds and staff who are qualified to provide the approved specialties at that level or institution.