Medical qualification obtained from Pakistan occupied Kashmir not to be registered in India, says MCI

The Medical Council of India (MCI) on Monday (August 10) issued a public notice saying that the medical qualification obtained from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) will not be registered and persons possessing such certificates will not be allowed to practice modern medicine in India.

“This is to inform all concerned that entire territories of UT of jammu kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the territory. Accordingly, any medical institution in Pakistan occupied jammu kashmir and Ladakh  (pojkl) requires permission/recognition under IMC Act, 1956. “Such permission has not been granted to any medical college in POJKL," read the MCI notice.

 "Therefore, any qualification obtained from medical colleges located within these illegally occupied areas of India” shall not entitle a person for grant of registration under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 to practice modern medicine in India," added the notice.

The MCI move comes months after the Indian Meterological Department (IMD) started to issue the weather updates of the areas that are part of PoK.