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2. The petitioners submitted applications for appearing in the Examination for Foreign Medical Graduates in the month of October, 2021. Though the petitioners submitted all documents in proof of their successful completion of BSC MD Course from the foreign University, W.P.(C) No.27145/2021 & Connected cases the petitioners were required to produce scanned copy of the Original Medical Qualification Certificate apostilled/attested by the Indian Embassy. The petitioners approached the Indian Embassy in Manila to issue apostilled Certificate before 30.11.2021 so that the same can be produced before the respondent in time.

3. By Ext.P3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Manila informed that the Certification would be made available only on 09.12.2021. Though the petitioners took all efforts to get the Certificate apostilled before the stipulated date, they were informed that due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue the document only on 09.12.2021. The last date for submission of application/documents to the respondent was 30.11.2021.

4. The petitioners therefore approached this Court filing these writ petitions. The petitioners submitted that they will be able to produce the said document on 15.12.2021. Taking into account the afore fact situation, this Court passed interim orders in these writ petitions directing the W.P.(C) No.27145/2021 & Connected cases respondent to issue Admit Card to the petitioners provisionally on condition that the petitioners produce attested copies of Degree Certificate. This Court, in the interim orders, made it clear that the participation of the petitioners in the Examination will be subject to the outcome of these writ petitions.

5. When these writ petitions came up for hearing today, the petitioners submitted that they were permitted to appear in the Examination pursuant to the interim orders of this Court and subsequently, the petitioners produced the requisite original Foreign Medical qualification Certificate apostilled/attested by Indian Embassy before the respondent.

6. The respondent resisted the writ petitions filing counter affidavits. The respondent urged that candidates who fail to submit the documents as prescribed in the Information Bulletin for FMGE will not be allowed to appear in the Examination and would be declared ineligible to appear. The learned Assistant Solicitor General of India, relying on the Information Bulletin of the Foreign Medical Graduate W.P.(C) No.27145/2021 & Connected cases Examination, pointed out that the Foreign Medical Degree should be attested either by the Embassy of India or should be apostilled by the appropriate authority of the foreign country concerned. The provision cannot be watered down.

8. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned ASGI representing the respondent.

9. In these writ petitions, the fact that the petitioners have passed and obtained a Foreign Medical Degree, is not in dispute. The fact that the petitioners are eligible to appear in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination is also admitted. The objection raised by the respondent is that to appear in the examination, the candidates should submit all requisite documents including the apostilled/ attested copy of the Foreign Degree before the last date for submission of application. As the petitioners have not produced the document in time, they are not eligible to appear in the examination.