Doctors move HC against MCI decision to derecognise courses

Some doctors have filed a clutch of petitions in the Bombay High Court challenging the decision of Maharashtra Medical Council to refuse their registration, on the ground that the degrees awarded to them were not recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI).
Hearing the petitions yesterday, a bench of Justices S F Vajifdar and Mridula Bhatkar said it was embarrassing to note that government-run colleges were teaching unrecognised courses in medical stream which render the degrees of several doctors unrecognised.
Observing that the issue was serious, the bench asked Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati and Additional Solicitor General Darius Khambata to assist in the matter.

"We do not want to pass any order which will have serious consequences. It is embarrassing to know what the state (government) has been doing. How can it run courses which are not recognised? So many students will suffer because of this," remarked Justice Vajifdar.
One of the petitions was filed by Dr Manoj Kashid, who had obtained post-graduate degree in M.S. (Orthopaedic) from Institute of Naval Medicine, INHS, Ashvini, Colaba in 2008. Kashid had completed his MBBS from Lokmanya Tilak Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, in 2001. Thereafter, Kashid did his one-year mandatory internship and later obtained the M.S. degree.

Kashid's lawyers, V M Thorat and Pooja Thorat, argued that several students who passed out way back in 1999 were also suffering because the MCI refused to recognise over 44 courses in the medical stream.

Thorat argued that several government-run medical colleges conduct courses that are not recognised or derecognised by MCI.
Kashid has demanded that MCI recognise M.S. (Orthopaedic) course and grant registration to several students who were awarded the degree by the Institute of Naval Medicine. Besides, he also sought compensation from the respondents -- government, Institute of Naval Medicine and Mumbai University �- for allegedly spoiling his career.

Kashid alleged in the petition that at the time of admission, the students were assured that an application had been made for recognition of the course and that this would soon be granted.