Chiang Mai – The Burmese Department of Medical Science on Wednesday denied rumors that fresh medical graduates could be given  placement only after they appear for an examination on current politics.

Rumours have been doing the rounds among medical students, who graduated in the academic year 2006-2007, from Rangoon, Mandalay and Magwe medical institutes that they will have to appear for an examination on the current political situation in Burma while submitting their forms for placement in government hospitals.

The department, however, rubbished the rumors saying though the medical graduates are required to fill in the placement forms at Burma's new jungle capital Nay Pyi Taw, but there are no examinations they need to sit for.

"It is not true that the students will have to appear for an examination. But  graduates have to submit their application for placement in Nay Pyi Taw," an official at the department, which is under the Ministry of Health in Nay Pyi Taw, told Mizzima.

The official added that they have despatched information for all graduates from Burma's four medical institutes on the dates of submitting their application for job placement.

While graduates from Rangoon's Medical Institute (1) will have to submit their application at Nay Pyi Taw from August 11 to 15, Rangoon Medical institute (2) will be have to do so from August 18 to 22. Graduates in Mandalay medical institute will be allowed to submit their application from August 25 to 29, and for graduates from Magwe medical institute it will open from September 1 to 5, the official explained.

But a lady teacher at the Magwe Medical institute said, "We hear that the applicants for placement will have to appear for an entrance test. I think the test will be about government policies. Both students and teachers alike are still confused."

During the former Military dictator General Newin's reign from 1962 to 1988, medical graduates while applying for placements had to appear for a test, where they were asked about the policies of the Burmese Socialist Programme.

"After I graduated from the medical institute in 1967, and applied for placement, I had to appear for a test on the Socialist Programme. But after 1988, students did not have to appear for the test. But now we are again hearing that there will be a test," the teacher added.

She added that though the applications are now being accepted at Nay Pyi Taw, the government has not made any official announcement in its state-run media including the New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

"During our time the government used to announce it in the state newspapers. But now it seems that only people who are close know about it. Some just don't know about it. But when they do know it is sometimes too late," she said, adding that for several years now the government has not given official notices in the newspapers.

The applications are for placement at medical institutes or to work as medical officers in government hospitals under the Ministry of Health.