New Delhi: As the concern over the quality of doctors in the country grows, the government is planning an exit exam for MBBS students passing out of medical colleges.
The health ministry is also planning to create a separate 'all-India chapter' for doctors qualifying the exit exam. Currently, the doctors have to register themselves with the state chapter of Medical Council of India (MCI).
Those clearing the exit exam will be able to practice anywhere in the country and will not have to get their registration transferred as is the case currently.
According to a report in Times of India, students failing the exit exam will not be allowed to pursue post-graduate studies.
A committee set up by the former health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on medical education reforms last year had proposed temporary registration of medical students which may be later “confirmed” based on the performance of students in the exam.
A similar proposal was made by MCI some times back but was scrapped after it faced resistance from doctors' association.
Ministry's draft proposal suggests using Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) as a voluntary exit exam. FMGE, introduced in 2002, is a qualifying examination for Indian students holding foreign medical degrees and is a must for those who intend to practice medicine in India. The ministry is considering FMGE as a benchmark for all MBBS doctors.
The government could use the exit exam result for ranking medical colleges.
