Thrissur: Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) advised students and parents seeking admission to medical and health science courses in Kerala, other states or abroad to verify the legal status, affiliation and recognition of institutions and programmes before enrolling.Addressing a news conference on Friday, KUHS vice-chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal said medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and allied health science degree programmes in Kerala can be offered only by institutions affiliated to KUHS or by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a deemed-to-be university.He said several advertisements were promoting unrecognised courses, sometimes using film and sports personalities as brand ambassadors. Complaints were received against institutions offering programmes such as BSc Nursing, General Nursing and Midwifery, Optometry, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Imaging Technology, Operation Theatre Technology and Cardiac Care Technology without clearly disclosing their statutory approvals, university affiliation or legal status.Students should independently verify the recognition of both institution and programme with the university and regulatory authorities, rather than relying on advertisements. Paramedical diploma programmes must have govt recognition, while qualifications should make students eligible for registration with relevant professional councils.Kunnummal clarified that KUHS didn’t recognise online or correspondence programmes in medical and health sciences. Correspondence courses in Homeopathy weren’t permitted. Holders of invalid qualifications won’t be eligible for professional registration, and practising with such qualifications might amount to quackery.Students planning to pursue MBBS abroad must first qualify NEET and ensure that the course is recognised by the medical regulator of the country concerned and accepted in India. Foreign medical graduates returning to India must comply with prevailing regulations, including clearing foreign medical graduate (FMG) examination, wherever applicable, and complete the mandatory internship.He said FMG examination pass rate was low, with only 12.7% of candidates clearing the examination held in June, and the five-year average was below 20%.Students seeking admission to courses in modern medicine, dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, homeopathy, nursing, pharmacy and allied health sciences in other states should similarly verify institutional approval, programme recognition and eligibility for registration with the respective professional councils.
