PG medical exam: change in nativity clause opposed

ALAPPUZHA: Postgraduate medical students here have opposed the recent changes brought about by the State government in the eligibility criteria stipulated in the nativity clause for the super specialty entrance examination for PG courses in general medicine and general surgery.

Amendment

According to the students, till 2009, the eligibility criteria for writing the examination required the students to have an MD/MS degree from a college recognised by the Medical Council of India and degrees accepted by the Kerala University in case the MD/MS was done outside the State while the nativity clause stipulated that they should be Indian citizens of Kerala origin by birth or by permanent residency.

However, in 2009, the State governments Director of Medical Education (DME) and Controller of Entrance Examinations (CEE) made amendments to the nativity clause.

The stipulation that the candidate should be an Indian citizen of Kerala origin was changed to merely of �Indian origin while a one-year compulsory rural service/senior residency/government service in any government medical college or government hospital in the State clause was added.