On March 6, hundreds of postgraduate medical students from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) staged a protest at Azad Maidan, demanding urgent government intervention over prolonged delays in their final examinations, The Times of India reported.
The protest highlighted a deepening national crisis that has left more than 2,000 trained doctors unable to qualify as specialists, even as India continues to face a severe shortage of medical professionals.
The issue traces back to 2022, when authorities withdrew recognition for CPS diploma and postgraduate programmes. However, students admitted during the 2021–22 academic year through NEET-PG were allowed to continue after being assured they could complete their courses.
Despite completing their training, many students have not been able to appear for final exams since November 2024, leaving them without certification or the ability to legally practice.
The situation worsened after a March 2025 Bombay High Court order, which directed CPS to halt courses and examinations until it met required postgraduate infrastructure standards. This order stalled the April 2025 final exams, creating a prolonged academic and professional deadlock.
Doctors across eight states have now approached the National Medical Commission (NMC), urging immediate intervention.
“We’re fully trained postgraduate doctors but unable to practice as specialists even though government hospitals face shortages,” said Chirag Desai of the All India CPS Doctors’ Association, as quoted by The Telegraph.
Students insist they followed a legitimate, merit-based pathway.
“We are not at fault. Our admissions were entirely merit-based through NEET-PG and state counselling,” Desai added.
Government data from 2024 underscores the gravity of the situation:
79% shortage of specialists in rural community health centers
Only 4,500 specialists in position against a requirement of 21,000
The shortage spans critical disciplines such as anesthesiology, gynaecology, and pediatrics fields in which many CPS doctors have already completed training.
The delay has disrupted careers and finances for thousands of young doctors.
In an interview with Times of India Dwijisha Katkar, one of the affected students, said she paid ₹18 lakh in fees and completed her course but still cannot begin practice because the exams have not been conducted. She noted that the matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
In its representation to the NMC, the doctors’ association highlighted:
Loss of income opportunities
Stalled career progression
Emotional and financial stress
“We find ourselves professionally incomplete despite being trained postgraduate doctors,” the association stated.
The crisis spans multiple specialties, including:
Anesthesiology
Dermatology
Gynaecology and Obstetrics
Orthopedics
Pathology
Radiology
Affected states include:
Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
Student groups have warned of intensified protests if authorities fail to act. Representatives of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad stated that wider demonstrations could follow if the issue remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, the All India CPS Doctors’ Association plans to protest outside the NMC office in New Delhi, demanding a time-bound resolution and immediate conduct of examinations.
The affected doctors had approached the Supreme Court in 2025, seeking relief. During hearings, the attorney general requested three weeks to propose a plan to protect students’ interests.
However, no concrete solution has emerged so far, prolonging uncertainty for thousands.
(Rh/ARC)
