New Delhi: Despite clearing the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) in July 2024, 33 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in West Bengal are still awaiting enrollment in the mandatory internship program required for medical registration.

Calling this delay "unfair," the Doctors Welfare Federation India (DWF) recently wrote to State General Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam, urging the authorities to either allocate additional internship seats or conduct a separate third round of counselling for these FMGs.

FMGs Struggle for Internship Placements

In their letter, DWF highlighted that these 33 FMGs successfully passed the FMGE on July 16, 2024, yet they have faced significant challenges in securing internships since then.

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The FMGE exam took place on July 6, 2024, and 151 domicile doctors qualified. The first round of counselling, held on January 27, 2025, admitted 40 students, while the second round, on February 28, 2025, placed 78 more candidates. However, 33 FMGs were left without seats.

Expressing concern, the letter stated, "Despite the robust capacity of our healthcare system, we have been left without internship placements."

Concerns Over Delayed Counselling

The Swasthya Bhavan authorities have scheduled the next counselling session in June-July 2025, alongside the FMG batch of January 2025. However, the affected doctors believe this decision is unfair, as it places them with a junior batch despite their earlier qualification.

DWF emphasized that other states have successfully allotted internship seats to all FMG students from the July 2024 batch. Many states hold separate counseling for each batch and conduct additional rounds if required. They urged West Bengal authorities to follow a similar approach to ensure fairness and timely placements.

Doctors Call for Immediate Action

The letter further stated, "Internships are a crucial step in medical education, offering practical experience before entering the profession. Delays not only hinder our careers but also impact our mental well-being and motivation. While we recognize the high demand for seats, we believe a fair solution can be reached with your intervention."

Medical Experts Voice Support

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, medical education activist Dr. Vivek Pandey stressed the urgent need for resolution, stating, "These 33 FMGs have cleared all requirements, yet they face prolonged delays and uncertainty. They deserve immediate action to secure their futures and serve the community."

Extending support, DWF President Dr. Vaibhav Jain added, "I stand in solidarity with these FMGs who have been denied their rightful internship opportunities since July 2024. Authorities must act swiftly to safeguard their careers and strengthen our healthcare system."

DWF Vice President Dr. Aditya Gupta also urged authorities to address the concerns of these aspiring doctors, emphasizing, "Having met every requirement, they are being unfairly held back. Authorities must act without further delay to benefit both these doctors and the public they intend to serve."