No service rider for return of certificates to medicos in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: AT last, the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) has agreed to return original certificates to medicos who have completed their MBBS and post-graduation course. Further, they will be registered as medical practitioners from April 6 even if they do not complete their senior residentship. Students of NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS), who are waiting for their MBBS and PG certificates, staged a protest before the APMC on Wednesday demanding that their original certificates be returned to them. Earlier, APMC would return the certificates of only those students who completed one year of senior residentship and service at government hospitals.

However, the State government recently assured the medicos that rural service would not be mandatory henceforth and that the original of MBBS students would be given back to them soon after completion of the course. According to GO No. 121 released on Tuesday, the certificates would be given back to students if they do not complete the residentship for PG doctors. The GO cancelled the mandatory rural service of MBBS and PG doctors. Based on it, the students approached the UHS and APMC authorities seeking return of their certificates. But as per the AP Medical Practitioners Registration Act, the certificates are to be returned only to those who complete one year of rural service and residentship.

Amendment to the law is mandatory for return of the certificates to students. Srihari Rao, member of AP Medical Council said, “We are ready to return the original certificates from April 6 as the government is ready to amend the relevant law soon. As the government has clearly mentioned that one year service is not mandatory, we shall return the certificates to successful students.”