CHENNAI: Foreign medical graduates (FMGs) will begin a hunger strike on Tuesday, protesting the Tamil Nadu Medical Council’s delay in issuing provisional eligibility certificates.

The association representing these students states that over 1,000 graduates from Tamil Nadu, despite passing the mandatory FMG test to practice in India, cannot begin their house surgency due to this hold-up.

The graduates criticise the Council’s approach and urge it to expedite the provisional certificates. “Without these certificates, we’ll not be able to join for house surgency in any colleges. Through this protest, we’re appealing TNMC to issue the certificates soon,” said one of the representatives of the association at a press conference on Monday.

They have also appealed to the State government to allow them to undertake internship in 11 newly established government medical colleges. A key demand is the allocation of 20% of total CMRI (intern) seats to doctors who completed their education abroad.

The hunger strike aims to pressure authorities to address this and around 12 other pending demands.