Srinagar, Jul 02 (KNO): The Jammu & Kashmir Medical Council is actively streamlining the issuance of various registration certificates following a mandatory directive issued last year through a public notice, stating that no allopathic doctor shall be allowed to practice in Jammu and Kashmir without a permanent registration certificate issued by the Council.
To expedite the registration process, the Medical Council has implemented several applicant-friendly measures within the framework of the regulations set by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Over the past two months, a total of 1,688 registration certificates have been issued, including 542 permanent registrations, 863 provisional registrations, 132 additional qualification registrations, 111 No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and 40 good standing certificates, according to details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
In the year 2024 alone, the Council issued 1,295 permanent registrations, 1,557 provisional registrations, 342 additional qualification registrations, 467 NOCs, and 225 good standing certificates.
The registration process involves meticulous verification and authentication by multiple authorities. This includes validation of class 10 and 12 degrees from the boards of school education, internship completion certificates from medical colleges, and degree certificates and mark sheets from universities.
Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) also undergo verification processes, including eligibility certificates from the National Medical Commission, degree certificates, internship certificates, and marks cards verified through respective embassies, as well as FMG exam scorecards from the National Board of Examination (NBE).
The demand for registration has surged, as all universities offering MBBS courses issued final year results for approximately 800–900 students in May-June this year. Around 1,000 interns completed their compulsory internship during the same period.
"255 FMGs were selected for mandatory rotational internships in various medical colleges across Jammu & Kashmir, based on their merit in the FMG exam conducted by the NBE," data reveals.
The J&K Medical Council typically issues permanent registration valid for five years, after which renewal is required. Renewal mandates the completion of certain Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits.
To address the backlog and speed up the registration process, the Council said it is also planning to hire additional staff. Moreover, it is contemplating the digitisation and digitalisation of records of all registered medical practitioners since its inception, aiming to enhance efficiency and record-keeping—(KNO)