Romanian medical degree

Q: My brother will be completing his medical education from Romania soon and he plans to return to India next year. However, having been away for so long he is not quite sure of the validity of his degree for practising in India. Will he need to clear any exams? Could you give detailed information on how he would be able to practice in India?

Vidya Dasgupta

A: Since your brother has undergone medical training abroad he will, as per the Government of India rules, need to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations (MHFW).

The purpose of the screening test is to enable candidates to register with the Medical Council of India (MCI) or any State Medical Council in order to practice in India (www.natboard.nic.in).

It is an objective-type test, consisting of approximately 300 multiple-choice questions. This test is conducted in the month of March and September every year in New Delhi.

To be eligible for the exam, you need to be an Indian citizen holding a primary medical qualification that is recognised by the government of the country issuing the degree and you must be entitled for practice in that particular country.

The said medical school must also be listed in the WHO directory.

You also need to possess the ‘eligibility certificate’ from the MCI, which is issued to students when they apply abroad for further studies (this is applicable only in respect of students who took admission abroad on or after March 15, 2002).

So there’s nothing to worry for your brother. As long as he takes care of these procedural formalities, he is free to practice in India.

In fact, with the health care sector booming in India, the job opportunities for doctors have increased manifold.

Doing an MBA is an asset

Q: I started working eight years ago after completing my BCom. I feel I am beginning to stagnate and am wondering whether I should do an MBA. But if I start working towards an MBA, I will be 32 when I am through. Won’t that be too late?

Anuj Das

A: If you can take time out for a good MBA course, why not go for it? With your varied experience, even a good part-time course or a one-year executive MBA, like the one offered by the Indian School of Business, would be a good bet.

You could even consider an online programme of the kind offered by some of the good B-schools like the IIMs or XLRI, for instance. Business management is a functional hands-on science, not merely an academic discipline. However, an MBA from a reputed institute will prove to be an asset if you are able to make the most of it.

GATE opens up a lot of avenues

Q: I have completed my masters in zoology with specialisation in animal ecology. Now I wish to appear for the GATE exam. Could you let me know the eligibility criteria?

Tulika Ghosh

A: The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India exam conducted by the six IITs and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on behalf of the National Coordinating Board for GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human
Resources Development, (MHRD) GoI.

The exam is for admission to postgraduate courses in engineering, technology, architecture and pharmacy at engineering colleges and institutes in the country. Qualifying in the GATE exam ensures scholarship or assistantship from the MHRD.

Some institutes also specify GATE as a mandatory qualification even for admission of self-financing students.

GATE-qualified candidates in engineering and technology disciplines are also eligible for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship in Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories.

Some government organisations also prescribe a GATE qualification as a requirement for applying to the post of scientists.

The exam consists of a single three-hour paper with objective-type questions relating to engineering skills and your area of specialisation.

Incidentally, all GATE qualifiers (or IIT graduates with a GPA of 8.0 and above) who wish to pursue teaching as a career, can opt for AICTE’s Early Faculty Induction Programme (EFIP) which offers incentives to bright young graduates pursuing postgraduate programmes in engineering and technology, architecture or pharmacy.

Log on to www.aicte.ernet.in for additional details. For syllabus and more information on the exam, you could log on to www.iitk.ac.in/gate.

GATE is usually held in February each year. The application deadline is mid-November. You can also apply online.

Watch out for the GATE 2007 announcement in prominent dailies around September 2006.

Recently, AICTE has announced that the scholarship for GATE-qualifiers has been raised from Rs 2,500 per month to Rs 5,000 per month. And the contingency grant for GATE qualifiers has also been raised from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per annum as well.