Hsmp Visa Points Not Awarded For Nepali Graduates

[Anil Tuladhar]

It has been brought to our notice that medical graduates from the Universities in Nepal, are not being awarded Highly Skilled Migration Programme (HSMP) visa points on the ground that the UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre), the agency responsible for determining whether a foreign university degree is equivalent to UK MBBS degree, considered that Nepalese University degrees are not equivalent.

This is highly unacceptable as GMC (General Medical Council, UK) and WHO have no concerns in recognising Nepali University degrees. In fact, most Nepali graduates are proportionately doing better than graduates from any graduate from anywhere in the world, in relation to passing the Royal College exams and getting into special training programmes.

What action we are taking:
1. Writing a strong letter to NARIC, asking them even to prove and give evidence that Nepalese graduates are substandard.

What we wish you to do:
2. Pass on any communication from NARIC to anyone victimised.

I recently had a message from a graduate that after nagging them for long, they said that they do not have problem with Nepalese Medical Degree, it is actually the preuniversity schooling years which they are concerned about, which allegedly was said to be equivalent to GCSE level of the UK. This begs the question whether they have been awarding the points to countries on lottery basis as I know South Asian schooling system is no different from Nepalese system.

3. Ask your university officials to write to NARIC directly. This is not the question only of acquiring visa points; this is the question of pride for all Nepali Universities. We need to stamp this sort of discrimination.

Lastly, please remember that we will only be successful in reverting this if we get cooperation from all corners both from Nepalese Universities and the graduates suffering because of this ridiculous new rule.

[Anil Tuladhar]

Message from Dr Anil Mohandas (Manipal Medical College, Pokhara Graduate):
A lot of nepal graduates have been affected due to UK NARIC's policy of not recognising our degrees as uk equivalent and thereby our hsmp visas getting rejected.this is a highly discriminatory policy adopted by uk naric and home office. i have started a yahoo group Nepal_MBBS_Graduates_Against_Injustice to coordinate the fight against this.the link is
NMGAI : Nepal _MBBS_Graduates_Against_InjusticeCould you kindly post this link in the forum so that more people affected by this can join the group and our fight gathers more momentum.together we can win this fight against injustice.
T
hanks.

[nihcas]

Dear Dr. Tuladhar

I would like to thank you for the support that you have offered us and myself and my colleagues are with you at every step even if tomorrow our circumstances change.

This is outrageous as the doctors have already cleared exams required by them and the medical regulatory body GMC has allowed the the legal right to work in the UK.

But apart form the doctors affected this will also be disastrous for students from other universities and non medical branches as they will not be able to enter the right level of education if their bachleors isnt recognized and this will also affect people going for the HSMP visa.

We have made a group for the same NGMAI on yahoo as Anil has pointed out and looking forward to people join this group and stand united against this national and racist discrimination.

We have got in touch with our College head and are trying to get in touch with KU and other universities and somehow hope that the message can be passed across to the Nepal Embassy as this is a direct blow to all NEPAL universities and the education standards in NEPAL.

I believe this is a natioanl issue altogether and the Press shoudl be involved
please let us know your views on the same.

Warm Regards

Sachin

[Mati]

Dear Dr Anil,
That's, of course, very unappropriate and irrational step for all of us, Nepalese and those who graduate from Nepalese Universities. As you aptly put, there seems no rational or logic behind the step. There is no option but fight for our right and what we deserve.
If we talk about Universities in Nepal coming together and giving solidarity to you and us for this better cause, it's something frustrating. We all know that this news is even more bad and concerned to our Universities if they are take it genuinely. Here, the pioneer university Tribhuvan University is without Vice Chancelor and other high level personnels since this people's movement and new government's establishment. So is the case with some other universities here in Nepal. This is simply because the political parties couldn't agree on the posts they divide and take! Three of our freshest graduates from IOM who went for the residency in US have been on the verge of losing their residency simply because there is no VC. One of them got prematch and two of them recently matched!!!
Dr Anil, is there anything we could do from Nepal? I'm here in IOM as a medical student and I'm ready to approach the authorities at least in my institue if not all universities of Nepal if there is possibility of doing something.
We are together for this genuine campaign.

United we stand and divided we fall!!!


Best wishes,
mati

[nihcas]

Dear Mati
it is very heartening to hear from you.
you seem to have hit the nail on the head and i do feel if you could take this message to your dean it woudl really be a big help.
I have already contacted the MD of NGMC and he has kindly agreed to talk to KU about this.
In the same way if you could get in touch with a few friends from other colleges it woud lhelp as this matter has to be taken up if possible at a national level ( and believe me that is perhaps the only way).
Please also refer to an earlier post by anil regarding the group in yahoo called NGMAI and feel free to join that group and use any postings that you think will help to deliver the message further.

Regards

Sachin

[Anil Tuladhar]

Thanks Mati,

It will be great if you could request management team of all the Universities ( which have medical colleges under their wings) in Nepal to write to NARIC. This would compel NARIC to reconsider their decision.

NARIC's argument for giving Nepalese NBBS degree equivalent only to Diploma for Higher education is that our preuniversity schooling is only 12 years and is equivalent only to GCSE level (which is old O level). As far my understanding goes and I confirmed as well, all the schooling levels including ISc amounts to 12 years. Ironically, graduates from other SAARC countries are getting points towards HSMP visa even though their preunicersity entry schooling is the same.

[Mati]

Thank you nihcas and Dr Anil,

Yes, of course, we are trying to come together in Nepal. We are in touch, some of us from Xenomed, for this issue to discuss and take ahead. I also welcome other xenomed members who are in Nepal to come in touch with us (Dr Angel, me and others) and discuss the possibilities we can do.

Dr Anil and nihcas, I'm concerned whether the discrimination is on the basis of any documentation/policy/law or they are doing just on the basis of documents we are graduated from Nepal? I mean they have to show the line where it has been mentioned so and so, therefore you people do not qualify for it. As I understand, Dr Anil has enquired in most of the concerned authorities there and he has mentioned:

This begs the question whether they have been awarding the points to countries on lottery basis as I know South Asian schooling system is no different from Nepalese system.

If there is and if it is possible, I am interested to know such line/quote/press release or any sort of their policy to discriminate us. As we know, this will be the reference line to work in various level from here and there as well. I know you all are well aware and doing this but for us from Nepal, I think it's better if we get such information.

We'll be in touch,
Keep up the good work.

Best wishes,
mati

[Anil Tuladhar]

Mati,

I am attaching a scanned file of the communication from the NARIC to one ofthe Manipal graduates as an evidence. However, initially UK NARIC mentioned in their letter that Nepalese MBBS degree is substandard to the UK MBBS degree.

Later, on getting GMC's support to our side, they changed their reason as " Entry requirement to bachelor courses in Nepal is substandard as compared to U.K." this is what I mean by them shifting the goal post.

We will fight from this end till we get satisfactory answer or the problem is resolved. I will even ask other associations for their support. I would be grateful if you could ask the highest authority in each University to the UK NARIC on following:

1. stress that entry requirement for MBBS degree is the same in all south asian countries (India. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). Even Nepalese qualified from these countries are given the equivalent certificate (to UK MBBS degree).

2. asking them to write to NARIC to provide evidence to prove what criteria NARIC used to assess that Nepalese MBBS degree is substandard.

Many thanks for your support. this is a question of National pride and not only of getting visa for newcomers.

[Anil Tuladhar]

Dear Anil, Sachin,

Could you please kindly post following on this forum:

1. the complaint letter you have sent to the NARIC
2. any communications you received from them too?

I was contacted by the authorities in Nepal that this will form a basis for them to act.

Thanks.

[nihcas]

Dear Dr. Anil tuladhar, Dr. Angel and Mati

I am uploading

1)The letter that i sent to naric
2) The response that i got from them in 2 pages

We all appreciate your efforts for the fight for justice.

Warm regards

Sachin on behalf og NGMAI@yahoogroups.com