A Tehelka SIT investigative report reveals how touts help candidates cheat and clear the FMGE, a screening test for Indians with medical degrees from foreign varsities, thus compromising the quality of healthcare in India
“We will get the question papers leaked a day before the exam is to be held. They will take the candidate to some unidentified locations, and will give him or her both the question papers one night before the exam. They will also get the question papers solved for the candidate. At least 150 questions will be solved, the minimum required for passing the exam. After solving the question paper, next day they will drop the candidate at the examination centre. If the question paper in the examination matches with the leaked question paper, then the candidate is required to give a payment of Rs 15 lakh after the exam, on the same evening. But remember, before all this, the candidate has to surrender his mobile phone to us. Otherwise there is a possibility that he or she might click the picture of leak question papers and send it to his or her friends, resulting in the leaked question paper getting viral on social media, and in turn putting us in a spot”. This is Rakesh Bhandari for you. A middleman from Delhi, who is trying to strike a deal for providing a leaked question paper of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination [FMGE] in exchange of Rs 15 lakh per candidate. According to the existing regulations, any student who pursued medicine from an institution abroad must qualify a screening test called Foreign Medical Graduate Examination [FMGE], held twice a year by an autonomous body, National Board of Examination [NBA] to get a provisional or permanent registration with the National Medical Commission [NMC] or State Medical Councils [SMCs] in order to practice medicine in India, which otherwise would be considered illegal.
“Sikkim is the only state in India, from where other (dummy) candidate can appear for the exam in place of genuine candidate. But this is a risky thing. I don’t want to go for this option. If caught, our lives will be ruined,” adds Rakesh Bhandari. Tehelka reporter, posing as a man looking for some middleman, who can get his fictitious candidate clear the FMGE, met Rakesh Bhandari in a five star hotel of Delhi.
We told Rakesh Bhandari that our candidate is an MBBS graduate from Dhaka, Bangladesh, who in first attempt had failed to clear the mandatory FMGE exam required to obtain licence from NMC to practice in India. On this, Rakesh Bhandari gave us three options through which he can help our candidate to clear the FMGE exam in return for payment of Rs 15 lakh. The first option is through question paper leak one day before the exam, second by fudging computers and third by managing a pass result even after the candidate has failed in the examination. For all this, the candidate has to fork out a sum. The payment has to be made on the day the exam is held, but only after the question paper matches with the leaked one in the first option. And after the result, in case the candidate goes for the second or third option. Bhandari describes making someone impersonate for the candidate in the examination as the riskiest option. He told us that he was averse to using that option. According to him, the question paper leak is the best option.
Every year, thousands of Indians with medical degrees from foreign universities appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination [FMGE]. This is a screening test conducted by the National Board of Examination [NBE] and mandated by the National Medical Commission [previously Medical Council of India] in order to assess the ability of a person to practice medicine in India. On an average, less than 20 percent of them are able to clear it, according to NBE data. Foreign medical graduates from countries like Russia, Ukraine, China, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal, among others, are allowed to practice in India only after they have cleared the FMGE. However, MBBS graduates from the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand need not take the exam. In 2019, 25.79 percent of foreign graduates cleared the FMGE, while the percentage was 14.68 in 2020 and 23.83 in 2021. The figure in years preceding 2019 was even lower. So, what do nearly 80 percent graduates do after failing to clear this test? While some give up on their dream to pursue medicine and adopt a different career path, some practice illegally in India without clearing the FMGE, others cling to it, especially since there is no cap on the number of attempts for the biannual FMGE. Tehelka carried out an investigation on some foreign medical graduates who are practicing in India illegally without clearing FMGE [At the time of filing this story]. And also the middleman, who promises a pass result for candidates appearing for FMGE through illegal means in return for cash payment.
Tehelka first caught hold of middleman Rakesh Bhandari, who told us that last year he had helped a Kashmiri foreign MBBS graduate to clear the FMGE through illegal route after he had failed to clear the same despite several attempts in the past. Bhandari boasted how he finally had this candidate sail through the FMGE after taking Rs 20 lakh from him.
Bhandari….Ek to khas aadmi hai 4-5 chance mein pass hi nahi ho raha tha.
Reporter….. FMGE mein?
Bhandari….. Haan..usko phir ek jhatkey mein karwaya mainey pichley saal.
Reporter…. Aapney karwaya FMGE mein pass.?
Bhandari…. Haan… abhi shadi ki, mujhe shadi mein dawat bhi na di, mujhe khundak aagayi itni uski, parson pata chala uski shadi bhi ho gayi.
Reporter…. Kitna paisa liya aapney ussey?
Bhandari….Rate to dekho depend karta hai, agar direct aa gaya to 20 lakh bhi letey hain.
Reporter….Option kaunsa tha uska pass honey ka?
Bhandari…. Sari cheezen nahi batatey, pata kya hota hai ye secrecy wala kaam hai. Aap kitney dino se phone kar rahe ho milne k liye, mainey aapse kya kaha. time nahi hai…kyunki actually kya hota hai hamarey pass ek ki jagah 10 aadmi khadey hotey hai.
[ Rakesh Bhandari said that he got one Kashmiri foreign MBBS graduate to clear FMGE, after he had failed in last several attempts previously. He said he took Rs 20 lakh from the candidate for the job.
We now gave a fictitious deal to Rakesh Bhandari that we have a candidate with MBBS degree from Dhaka, Bangladesh who had failed to clear the FMGE in his first attempt and now wanted to avail his services for clearing the exam. Bhandari immediately told us that he will get the question paper leaked for our candidate one night before the exam. He said that his man will solve the question papers for the candidate. And, the next day they will drop the candidate at the exam centre. If the leaked question paper matches with the exam centre question paper, then the candidate will be required to give Rs 15 lakh after the exam, same day by evening. He also told us that they will keep the mobile phone of the candidate with them, to avoid any unnecessary controversy.
Bhandari…..Aap samjhey nahi meri baat, question paper ka aisa scene hota hai, usmein mere ko bhi nahi pata hoga kab kis location par bhej raha hoga wo, secret hota hai, iski talashi 2 jagah karega. Ye mobile to nahi, koi paper to nahi hai,
Reporter….Jjab ye exam dene jayega?
Bhandari…. Haan, ussey pehle, kyunki ek din pehle milke jayega, jaantey to hain nahi isko, matlab agar iskey pass mobile ho, ye photo kheechkar 10 logon ko bhej dega. Viral ho gaya to phas gaye na wo, wo kya kaam kartey hain, din mein bulayenge isko, 11 baje bulayenge, ek jagah bulayengey.. suppose karo yahan bula liya, yahan se apni gadi mein le jayengey, wo hamari responsibility rahegi, yahan se leker doosri jagah le jayengey, doosri jagah se teesri jagah le jayengey, sham ko paper kahin aur hoga.
Reporter….. Sham ko paper?
Bhandari…..Sham ko paper dikha dengey usko, raat mein study karwa dengey isko, ek ghantey mein thodi ho payega, phir 4-5 baje tak isko karwakey subah seedhey centre par isko 8 baje , paune 8 baje pahucha denge.
Bhandari…. Aur exam centre jahan par bhi hoga, kyunki iskey pass mobile nahi hoga, chodhney to jayenge, leney to koi nahi jayega isko, 1 ghantey ka gap hoga, 2 paper hotey hain na, ek paper 8-9 baje se 12 baje tak,
Reporter….Aur doosra?
Bhandari…. Doosra ek ghantey k gap k baad hoga
Reporter…. To ye dono paper usey de dengey ek raat pehley hi…?
Bhandari….Karwa dengey solve…koi 150 questions karwa dengey…paper match ho gaya, jaisey bachey ne kar liya, paper to wahi aa gaya na, to bachey ko aaram aaram se karna hai, koi hadbadi nahi karni hai,
Reporter….Examination centre mein?
Bhandari…. Examination centre se pehle, paper to 10-15 min pehle mil jayega na, taki bhool na jaye.. exam de diya aaram se sham ko to match ho hi jayega…sham ko payment kar diya.
Reporter…. Sham ko?
Bhandari… Payment karni hai.
Reporter…. Aap jo ek ghantey ka gap bata rahe ho dono exams k beech mein, us ek ghantey mein isko kisi se baat nahi karni?
Bhandari…. Naa, kyunki doosre ko bata diya isne ye aayega wo ayega, phasney wala kaam kyun karein?
Reporter…. Sham ko payment kar deni hai.? …Lekin aap to keh rahe they payment hoga pass honey k baad.?
Bhandari…. Pass to ho hi gaya na wo, hamney to paper dikhaya, doosre din de di payment.
Reporter…. Aur result kab tak aata hai iska ?
Bhandari….10-15 din mein.
[Rakesh Bhandari told Tehelka that besides providing the leaked question paper, he will also get it solved for our candidate one night before the exam. If the leaked question paper matches with the original question paper, then the candidate has to shell out Rs 15 lakh on the same evening after the exam. And he won’t allow the candidate to carry mobile phone because he might take question paper picture and send it to his friend, who in turn can make it viral, posing problems for them.]
Rakesh Bhandari told Tehelka that he has three options through which he can help a candidate clear the FMGE. First is the paper leak, second is through server and the third is by getting the student’s result changed from fail to pass. He explained the paper leak above. Now, he explains the other two options to the reporter.
Reporter… Doosra option mein aap kya bata rahe they? Server mein kuch kartey hain?
Bhandari…. Server ka bhi khel hota hai..teesra option hai fail bhi ho gaya to pass ho jayega.
Reporter… Wo kaisey?
Bhandari…. Aapko pata hai kitney bachey pass hotey hain.. kul 2500.
Reporter… FMGE mein.. aur bethtey kitney hain?
Bhandari… 20,000,.. 17,000…2000-2500 pass hotey hein maximum.
Reporter…Baithtey kitney hain?
Bhandari….17,18 K aur 2500-3000 maximum pass hotey hain. 10%, 8% reh jatey hain…baki 200-400 bachey to aisey hi nikal detey hain….kyunki ismein evaluation kuch nahi hai na. Mota paisa khatey hain wo. Passing certificate de diya kat kat ke..
Reporter…. Lekin usmein bhi ladka exam mein baithta hai?
Bhandari… Exam mein kahin bhi ho..main kya hai passing subject…wo last ka khel hota hai.
Reporter… Usmein kitna paisa lagta hai.?
Bhandari… End ka khel hota hai, usmein 15 lakh bhi lagtey hain ,10 lakh bhi.
Reporter… Lekin exam mein bacha baithta hai usmein?
Bhandari… Exam to wo dega.
Reporter…. Teeno options mein exam dena hai.?
Bhandari….Exam to dena hi, exam k bina kaisey hoga?
[Rakesh Bhandari revealed the three options through which he could have the candidate get the desired result in the FMGE. But in all these options, the candidate has to appear in the exam]
When asked whether someone else will appear in the exam on behalf of our candidate or our candidate himself will appear for the exam? In response to this, Bhandari replied that Sikkim is the only state of India, where impersonation is possible. But he warned it was fraught with risk. For him the best option is paper leak.
Reporter….Ab aap mujhe ye batao, ladka ye pooch raha tha usko exam dene jana padega ya uski jagah koi aur dega exam FMG ka.?
Bhandari….Dekho saab exam dena padega, sirf ek hi centre hai aisa hai, jahan doosra aadmi beith sakta hai.
Reporter… Doosra admi, wo kahan hai?
Bhandari… Wo hai Sikkim mein, usmein problem kya hai, usmein hamey drawbacks bhi dekhney hongey, waisey drawback mein main kaam karta hi nahi hoon, kismet kharab ho, phas gaya to zindagi barbaad ho jayegi.
Reporter….Hmm
Bhandari…. Risky kaam hai, iska kaam sham ko hi pata chalega isko,..ek din pehley ya to ..
Reporter…. Jaisey kal exam hai FMG ka ?
Bhandari…Raat mein hi lengey, din mein mobile le lenge, mobile nahi hoga.
Reporter… Ussey ek din pehley ladke ko question paper mil jayega?
Bhandari…Usko de jayengey wo rakh lega apney pass..
[Bhandari said that he only trusts paper leak option. Impersonation is a risky route, though this option is available in Sikkim]
Now Rakesh Bhandari told Tehelka that he will get the paper leaked one night before the exam. The candidate will see the question papers. He will get it solved also for our candidate. However he clarified that if our leaked question paper matched with the main question paper, but the candidate failed to perform in the examination, then it is was not his fault. In that case, the candidate would have to give fifty percent of the agreed amount, that is 7.5 lakh of 15 lakh.
Reporter… Ek option to aapney bata diya FMG exam ka.. aur doosra kya hai ?
Bhandari… Doosra option, bhi hota hai par dekho ye sabse sateek hota hai, sateek pata hai kaise? …apko paper dikha diya, answer de diye, 200… de diye, uskey baad bhi nahi aayega to aisey doctor banney ka kya fayda. Aur uskey baad bhi fail ho jaye to aadha paisa to dena hi padega…apni to koi galti hai hi nahi.
Reporter…. Aapney to question paper dikha diya.
Bhandari… Dikha diya ab tum yaad hi na karo, samajh lo tu doctor baney k layek hai hi nahi….hahaha tere ko kuch bhi nahi aata, jab tere ko answer de diya aur 8 ghantey mein padha bhi diya usko, tab bhi nahi aayega to phir.
Reporter…Fail ho gaya tab bhi 50% dena padega?
Bhandari…. Dena padega, wo chodega thodi jab sab match ho gaya hai.
Reporter… Matlab 15 lakh ka 7.50.?
[According to Rakesh Bhandari, if candidate failed to perform in the exam despite the leaked paper being bang on, then he has to give fifty percent of the total amount.]
That was Rakesh Bhandari for you. He narrated his story as to how he is creating “fake doctors” in the country and putting human lives in danger. Now, Tehelka met a foreign medical graduate from Dhaka, Bangladesh. At the time of filing of this story, the candidate in his first attempt had failed FMGE. But before this, he had worked in some hospital for couple of months, and is now looking for a fresh job in Delhi and is also in search of some Bhandari-type middleman, who can help him get through the FMGE, for which he is ready to pay. Though he was putting human lives in danger by practicing medicine without getting license from NMC, we decided not to reveal the candidate’s identity considering his future career. We met Siraj [name changed], a candidate from Kashmir, in a five star hotel of Delhi.
Siraj….. Maine internship khatam kiya January mein.
Reporter…..January 2022 mein aur MBBS kab khatam kiya aapne?
Siraj…..MBBS maine kiya tha May 2020 mein.
Reporter…..MBBS aapne Bangladesh se kiya? 2020 mein kahan kahan kaam kiya aapne?
Siraj….Mainey to wahin par intership kiya tha ek saal ka.
Reporter…. Dhaka mein?
Siraj…..Ji..Mere uncle ka ek private hospital hai Kashmir mein.
Reporter…. Kis jagah?
Siraj…..xxxxxx district.
Reporter…… xxxxxxx ke rehne wale hain aap?
Siraj…. Ji wahan par bhi mein jata tha.
Reporter…. Kitne din kaam kiya tha aapne?
Siraj…. 2-4 mahiney.
Reporter…. Kab se kab tak?
Siraj…. Feb se May 2022 tak.
Reporter…. Specialization aapka kin kin cheezon mein hai.?
Siraj… Peadritics mein achey se dekh leta hoon, orthopedix aur off gynae…
Reporter…. Aap ye bataiye aapne MCI kiya hua hai…?
Siraj…Naa.
Reporter…. Diya tha aapne?
Siraj….. Haan June mein diya tha.
Reporter…. Abhi 2022 June mein …nahi hua?
Siraj…. Nahi hua.
Reporter…. Result aa gaya?
Siraj….Haan.
Reporter….. Nahi hua aapka?
Siraj…. Nahin.
Reporter…. Ye pehla attempt tha aapka?
Siraj….Ji..
[Siraj told Tehelka that he could not clear the FMGE in first attempt. Despite that he worked in a private hospital of Kashmir for a few months]
Siraj has not cleared FMGE. It means that he doesn’t have licence to practice in India. Despite that he met us hoping that he will get a job in some private hospital of Delhi. On meeting, he told us that he gave interview in some hospital of Shahdara, Delhi. But he refused the job offer because he was required to do long hour shifts. He also revealed that the hospital management was ready to give him a job despite the fact that he is not registered with Medical Council of India [MCI], now replaced by National Medical Commission [NMC]. It means both Siraj and hospital management were ready to put patients’ lives in danger. He also asked us how much salary he would draw from the job he was going to get through us?
Reporter… Delhi mein kaam kiya hai aapne?
Siraj…. Aaya tha ek do baar…wo side Shahadara mein ek naya hospital tha.. unko ek junior resident ki zaroorat thi, subah se lekar raat tak…itna to nahi ho payega..hospital mein matlab junior to bahut hotey hain aur kaam mil baatkar kartey hain…wahan pe mein akela hi tha.
Reporter… Aapne kiya kuch din kaam?
Siraj….Nahi…mainey kaha.. mein handle nahi kar sakta.
Reporter…. Wo taiyyar they non-MCI ko dene ke liye?
Siraj…. Haan.
Reporter….Hamare yahan kitne ghantey de payenge?
Siraj…. Pehle dekhtey hain baat karke
Reporter…. Salary?
Siraj…kitna denge..?
Reporter…. Aap batao?
Siraj…. 40-45k?
Reporter … Haan itna to de denge. 40-50 tak de denge.
[Siraj has not cleared the FMGE, but that doesn’t deter him from looking for a job. He said he was called for the interview for a job in a hospital in Delhi’s Shahdara. But he refused the offer the working hours there were very long. Though he is not registered with NMC, the hospital management was ready to hire him, adds Siraj]
When asked that as practicing medicine without getting license from NMC is illegal, how did he practice in a Kashmir hospital? And how he will practice in future in any of Delhi’s private hospitals? In response to this, Siraj said that in Kashmir, hospital’s management had asked him not to disclose to anyone that he is not registered with NMC or has failed in FMGE. He said he will keep this mind if a private hospital in Delhi hires him.
Reporter… Without FMG mein dikkat ye hoti hai na… saala kahin koi pakda gaya, illegal hai ye.
Siraj… kaisey pakdega, wo jab baat bahar jayegi na tab pakdega na, andar wala nahi boleyga, mein to bilkul nahi bolunga, mujhe to karna hi karna hai, andar wala koi nahi boleyga toh?
Reporter….Hospital se kisi ne bol diya.
Siraj… Kaisey pata chalega, wo to management waley hain na unko pata hai ki bande ne kiya hai ya nahi kiya.. kya pata banda aisey hi degree le bahar chala jaye.
Reporter… Management se kisi ne bol diya?
Siraj… Kyun bolega?
Reporter….Jinhoney rakha hai aapko, hospita mein naukri di hai?
Siraj…. Wo hi to mein bol raha hoon kyun bolega….bhai 70-65 leta hai aaj FMGE karke jo hoga, mein 50 mein wahan, 15-20 karke bachengey. Aapko ek kaam karna hai chup rehna hai, wo bhi utna hi kaam karega jitna mein kar raha hoon.
Siraj…. Naukri yahi Srinagar mein ki hai.
Reporter…. Naukri ki hai aapne?
Siraj…. Ek do mahiney ki thi,..yahi Srinagar mein ki hai.
Reporter…. Phir chodh kyun di ?
Siraj… Yahan Delhi aa gaya tha.
Reporter… Kitni salary de rahe they?
Siraj…. Wo de rahe they 25, jahan XXXXXX kar rahi hai aaj.
Reporter… Usi hospital mein, kya naam hai us hospital ka?
Siraj- xxxxx.
Reporter….. xxxxx to aapki dost hain, xxxxx hospital, xxxxx Srinagar mein hi hai.. to aapney chodh kyun diya wahan se.
Siraj…. Exam tha na yahan pe, phir aapsey mulaqat hui, wait hi kar raha tha.
Reporter….2 hi mahiney kaam kiya tha aapney.
Siraj…. Haan
Reporter….Management ko pata tha ki aapney FMGE clear nahi kiya. ?
Siraj….. Haan , XXXXX ne bhi to nahi kiya hai. Wahan mil jaatey hain.. lekin pay bahut kam kartey hain.
Reporter…. To kya they wahan.. doctor they ya intern they?
Siraj…. JR, Junior Resident.
Reporter… Kya responsibility thi aapki?
Siraj… Ab yahi, patient aayega usko receive karna, kisi ka operation post-recovery mein dekhna hai, BP dekhna hai, pulse dekhna hai .
Reporter… Mareez nahi dekhtey they aap?
Siraj…. Dekhtey they matlab, senior mam saath mein hoti thee.. wo bolti thi BP dekho, pulse dekho, likho dawai isko kya kya hai.
Reporter….Apni taraf se dawai nahi likhtey they aap?
Siraj… Wo allowed nahi tha?
Reporter… kyun?
Siraj…. Boltey they senior se poochna agar dena ho to.
Reporter… Apni taraf se aap na dawai likhtey they.. na mareez dekhtey they.
Siraj…. Mareez dekhtey they, wo masla nahi tha.
Siraj… Hum mam k pass jatey they , mam ye masla hai wo masla hai wo boltey they inko ye dawai do, wo dawai do.
Reporter…Jo senior hotey they wo sab FMGE pass hotey they.?
Siraj… Haan, 10-12 saal senior.
Reporter…To ye kaam bhi allowed nahi hai JR ka bhi, bina FMGE pass kiye?
Siraj… Koi kaam allowed nahi hai.
Reporter… Internship to allowed hogi.?
Siraj…. Nahi…
Reporter…Wo bhi allowed nahi hai. Kaun keh raha hai?
Siraj… Exam pass karke licence milta hai, tab jakey aap kaam karogey.
Reporter… Intern bhi tab banogey?
Siraj… Haan
Reporter.. Pakka?
Reporter- Matlab bina FMGE clear karey aap intern bhi nahi ho saktey?
Siraj… Intern to mainey kiya na..
Reporter… Main rule pooch raha hoon, India mein agar kisi ne FMGE clear nahi kiya hai to wo intern bhi nahi ban sakta.?
Siraj… Nahi
Reporter…Pakka rule hai ye?
Reporter….Aur agar koi pakda gaya toh?
Siraj… Abhi koi hai nahi.
Reporter…Abhi koi pakda gaya without FMG?
Siraj… Aisey hi hospital k bande se bola jata hai bolna nahi hai kisi se….khayal rakhna hai chup chap karo kaam.
Reporter… Management bhi bolta hoga aapse? ki bolna nahi kisi se?
Siraj… Haan.
Reporter….Wahan bola tha aapse Kashmir mein kisi ne?
Siraj… Haan bola tha koi senior mam poochey to nahi bolna….boley direct raho mere tak.
Reporter… Accha interview kisney liya tha aapka?
Siraj…. Director ne.
Reporter… kya naam tha?
Siraj… Uska naam Dr. XXXX hai.
Siraj…. Wo jantey they mujhko, haan uncle lagtey hain.
Reporter… Unko pata tha aap non-FMG hai?
Siraj… Haan
Reporter… kya kaha unhoney.?
Siraj… Mainey bola tha ki uncle nahi ho raha hai, wo boley koi baat nahi, aap yahan aakar kaam karo chup chap.
[Siraj narrated his entire tale to Tehelka as to how without clearing the FMGE, he had worked in Kashmir hospital. There, the management asked him not to reveal to anyone that he is not registered with NMC. He further said that one has to be a tight lipped in order to avoid being caught practicing medicine without clearing FMGE. Siraj said he will follow the same procedure in Delhi hospital too if he finds a job there.]
After failing in the first attempt of the FMGE exam, Siraj met a middleman who promised to fetch him a leaked paper a day before the FMGE exam, for which he will be charged Rs 15 lakh. Siraj agreed to the proposal.
Reporter…. Agar ek din pehle question paper de deta hai apko FMGE exam ka pass karney ka.. to who aap kar logey?
Siraj… Usmein ek cheez aapko mil jayegi, padh lunga mein, usmein zyada confidence hain na…
Reporter… Solve aap thodi na karogey. Solve to koi aur karega na?
Siraj… Wahi mein bol raha hoon, solve karke mujhe ye pata hoga na ki mainey ye paper rata hai. Wahan bas chaapna hai.. confidence hota hai na,..ab ye log keh rahe hain ki nahi karengey, kya matlab, nahi ho paya phir. Pachtaogey phir issey acha to mainey padha hota?
Reporter… Paisey k liye aap comfortable hain..15 lakh.?
Siraj…. 15 lakh ka masla nahi hai, masla ye hai ki agar paper mujhe ek din pehle dega na, 200 sawal hi de de bas, mein Chandigarh raat ko hi niklunga. Main rastey mein padhunga..
Reporter… Wo bhi aap solve nahi karogey question paper, koi aur karega.
Siraj…haan haan..
[Now Siraj said that he will take leaked paper one day in advance a per the plan to clear FMGE after paying Rs 15 lakh to the middleman.]
FMGE exam came into being through Screening Test Regulations, 2002. A screening test is mandatory as the standards of education and quality of training can vary from country to country. And even within the same country. “We have no mechanism today to assess the quality of education and training the students get in foreign medical colleges,” said a senior doctor in a government medical college who requested not to be named.
Tehelka’s first part investigation exposed middleman Rakesh Bhandari and foreign MBBS graduate, Siraj. Both have put human lives in danger through their shenanigans. Bhandari by creating “fake doctors” after leaking the FMGE question papers. And Siraj by practicing medicines in the hospital without getting license from NMC. In fact, Siraj is a game for the leaked paper offer from the middleman for clearing FMGE and is ready to cough up Rs 15 lakh. By clearing the exam he would become legally eligible to practice in India. He is also hunting for a job in Delhi though he has not cleared the screening test. According to Siraj and Bhandari, there are number of foreign MBBS graduates in India, who are practicing without clearing FMGE. If we believe them, then hundreds of lives are in danger. Next time you approach a doctor, you don’t know whether he or she has done MBBS from foreign soil and has cleared FMGE? And if he has cleared test, you don’t know how he has cleared it. Through Rakesh Bhandari-type middleman or through the dint of his or her hard work?
Tehelka will soon bring the second part of this investigation with Pakistan angle to it.
