Delhi HC dismisses doctors' pleas for recognising additional qualification awarded by UK university

The Delhi High Court has dismissed pleas of various medical practitioners to direct the Medical Council of India to recognise their additional qualification acquired from a university in the United Kingdom.

The court said it was not persuaded with the doctors' submissions that the qualification of MD (Clinical) in General Internal Medicine acquired by them from the University of Buckingham be registered in the Indian Medical register as their additional qualification as it is not a recognised medical qualification under the IMC Act.

Over 10 doctors had approached the court after Medical Council of India (MCI) refused to recognise their additional qualification acquired from the University of Buckingham, UK.

In certain cases, MCI, represented through advocate T Singhdev, has revoked the registration of such additional qualification which was granted earlier.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said the court was aware that the doctors will face hardship due to their qualification not being recognised in India but it was unable to grant the relief.

"This court is conscious of the fact that that the petitioners would face certain amount of hardship on account of qualification for which they would have undoubtedly worked hard not being recognised in this country.

"However, this court is unable to grant the relief as sought for as the same would be contrary to the provisions of the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act," the court said.

It added that the petitioners ought to have been aware that the degree did not entitle a medical practitioner to practice as a specialist in that field in the UK and therefore, would not entitle them to practice as such in India.

The court clarified that in case the doctors are able to obtain any material that would establish that the qualification awarded by the University is recognised by the concerned authorities in the UK for enrolment as medical practitioner in that specialty there, they are not precluded from approaching MCI for entering such qualification against their names in the Indian Medical Register.

All the petitions raised an identical question as to whether the qualification of MD (Clinical) in General Internal Medicine acquired by the petitioners from the University of Buckingham is a recognised medical qualification entitling them to practice as specialists.