Delhi High Court To Hear Jun 11 Plea For Postponement of Foreign Medical Graduate Examination

so known as the Medical Council of India Screening Test is a licensure examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) in India as a mandatory requirement for an Indian citizen who has a medical degree from a college outside India to practice medicine in the country.

The matter was being heard by the vacation bench of Justice Amit Bansal. Filed by the Association of MD Physicians through its President Dr. Rajesh Rajan, the petition seeks postponement of the exam to August on grounds of Covid-19, stating that "most of the students have not been vaccinated and many have elderly and Covid-19 patients at home.

The plea was opposed by the Centre on the grounds that this is merely a licensure examination and those who cannot take it in June, may do so in December.

Arguing that logistics would work out to be cumbersome, as well as serve the threat of Covid-19 infection for those taking the exam, Adv Adit S Pujari for the petitioner submitted, "There are 46 Centres in India. When people move from one place to another they have to come with a negative RT PCR report and they have to lodge themselves in the city. I have to come one day prior to the exam... I also have to come early and not be allowed to carry mobile phones and other valuables inside... so I have to bring somebody along with me to take care of my valuables…"

The plea states, "(The) third wave of Covid-19 'Delta variant' has already been reported in many cities, even vaccinated young citizens are equally vulnerable to it and hence it will be a wise decision to postpone the exam. It will be safe to conduct (the) exam during August 2021 like last year as by then the number of Covid-19 cases will drop and majority will get vaccinated (with) at least (the) first dose."

On such grounds, the petitioner sought a 4-week postponement and for the allotment of more examination centres. The association also prayed for facilities for the candidates to place their belongings in the exam centres.

Responding the Centre highlighted that around 18,600 students have registered to take the exams in June and that there are 98 centres in 52 cities – double the number in the pre-Covid era.

Raising preliminary objections on the petition, Additional Standing Counsel for the Centre, Adv. Kirtiman Singh submitted that the petition was flawed since the Association was not authorised to file a petition on behalf of the students. The Court then directed the Petitioner to place on record the resolution authorising the association to file the present petition.

The Court has also asked the Centre to place on record any document showing Covid considerations have been taken for conducting the exams in mid-June.