The trend of studying MBBS abroad is reaching new heights with every passing year. More and more students are exploring new destinations that fulfill their goal of becoming a successful doctor. As a result, along with the conventional popular destinations like the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK, the new aspirants of medical education are favoring MBBS in Russia, Bangladesh, Guyana, Barbados, etc.
One of the most common reasons for these students choosing these countries is the affordable options. In 2019, qualifying NEET became mandatory for these students to study MBBS abroad. This further filtered the students going abroad. As a result, only devoted medical aspirants who have qualified NEET can opt to study MBBS abroad.
In a counter response, an even more severe number of students started opting for the countries with ‘easier’ studies and more ‘favorable’ opportunities. However, this ease has been put in check with the new NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate, Regulation issued on 18th Nov 2021.
National Medical Commission
The National Medical Commission, following the gazette released on 8th August, 2019. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which came into force on 25.9.2020 by gazette notification dated 24.9.2020. The Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India constituted under section 3A of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 stands dissolved thereafter.
Some of the many functions of NMC are listed as:
(a) lay down policies for maintaining a high quality and high standards in medical education and make necessary regulations in this behalf;
(b) lay down policies for regulating medical institutions, medical researches and medical professionals and make necessary regulations in this behalf;
(c) assess the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure and develop a road map for meeting such requirements; etc
Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2023
After releasing a draft notification proposing the drastic change for the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) released in April 2021, NMC received severe uproar from various stakeholders. NMC took note of all these concerns and issued the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations on 18th Nov 2021.
For the students planning on to study MBBS abroad, the guidelines ensured that all the foreign medical graduates can practice in India once after receiving the permanent registrations after qualifying the Indian medical licensing exam & its related procedures.
| The notice read as: “No foreign medical graduate shall practice medicine in India, unless he is granted permanent registration in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.” |
To be eligible to apply for the permanent registrations by the FMGs, they are required to fulfill the below criteria:
- The total course duration of MBBS in the chosen university abroad should be at least for 54 months, along with the internship period of minimum 12 months in the same medical institutions.
- The students should have studied in the university with English as the official medium of instruction.
- The students must have studied the subjects like Community Medicine, General Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Emergency or Casualty services, lab services and their sub-specialties.
| The notice read as: No foreign medical graduate shall be granted permanent registration, unless he has– (a) (i) undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with minimum duration of fifty-four months; (ii) Undergone an internship for a minimum duration of twelve months in the same foreign medical institution; (iii) Received a foreign medical degree with medium of instructions in English; and (iv) studied the mandatory subjects specified in the Schedule-I; (b) registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country; (c) undergone supervised internship in India for a minimum term of twelve months, after applying for the same to the Commission; and (d) has cleared the National Exit Test or such other mandated test or tests conducted by the Commission. |
The duration and course details for the Foreign Medical Graduates are as follows:
- The students must have undergone a theoretical, practical and clinical training which should be equivalent to the MBBS course in India.
- The students must have completed 12 months of compulsory internship from the same institution where they have completed their other parts of the course.
| The gazette states as: Any person who pursue the foreign medical degree should have undergone a course of theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of India; and Should have been completed internship of twelve months in addition to such course referred to in clause (a), in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained, along with hands-on training in clinical subjects including but not limited to Community Medicine, General Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Emergency or Casualty services, lab services and their sub-specialties. It further adds as: The course and internship or clinical clerkship shall commensurate with the MBBS course of India in accordance with the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 and subsequent amendments thereto, and shall include the subjects mentioned therein as are duly recognised by the Commission under sub- section (2) of section 61 of the Act;The course curriculum shall be made available for review by appropriate authorities, and if necessary, in the website of the institution or university where the course is being pursued at the time of joining the course. Regarding the course duration of the gazette reads: “The entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than the country from where the primary medical qualification is obtained.” |
The gazette emphasizes that the student must complete all the parts of the curriculum including the internship/ clinical rotation which must be completed within 10 years from the date of enrollment.
| “The total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course.” |
Points to Be Noted!
- The minimum course duration studied by the applicant in the medical university abroad should be 54 months (4.5 years)
- A course of theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of India; and an internship of twelve months in addition to the course, in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained.
- The entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of it should be done anywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions were directed to demystify the questions that are most commonly asked by the students regarding the Foreign Medical Graduate Licensing (FMGL) regulations issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Who is a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG)?
A person who does not have a basic graduation or primary qualification (undergraduate medical degree) from any University/medical college/institution in India, seeking license for medical practice in India. [Reg. 2 (c) of FMGL. 2021)
When did the FMGL Regulations, 2021 come into force?
18th Nov, 2021 [Reg. 1 (2) of FMGL. 2021)
What empowers National Medical Commission (NMC) to regulate Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs)?
Section 5 / read with sub-section (4) of section 15 of National Medical Commission Act, 2019
Who is exempt from provisions of FMGL Regulations, 2021?
- These regulations are not applicable to
- Foreign medical graduates who have acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification, as the case may be, prior to 18th Nov, 2021;
- Candidates who are pursuing their undergraduate medical education in foreign institutions prior to 18th Nov, 2021; and
- Such foreign medical graduates who are specifically exempted by the Commission or the Central Government, as the case may be, by notification
- The foreign medical graduates who have acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification, as the case may be, and the candidates who are pursuing their education in foreign institutions, prior to 18th Nov, 2021, shall be governed by the previously applicable regulations. (Reg. 5 of FMGL, 2021)
What should be the duration of the course leading to foreign medical degree?
Minimum duration of fifty-four months [Reg. 4 (a) (i) of FMGL. 2021)
What should be the medium of instruction during the course?
English [Reg. 4 (a) (iii) of FMGL. 2021]
What are the subjects to be studied during the course?
- A course of theory, practical, and clinical training equivalent to a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of India; and
- An internship of twelve months in addition to the course, in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained, along with hands-on training in clinical subjects including but not limited to Community Medicine, General Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Emergency or Casualty services, lab services and their sub-specialties; and
- The course and internship of clinical clerkship shall be commensurate with the MBBS course of India in accordance with the Regulations on Graduate Medical Educaticn, 1997 and subsequent amendments thereto, and shall include the subjects mentioned therein as are duly recognised by the Commission under sub-section (2) of section 61 of the NMC Act, 2019 [Reg. 2 (i), (ii) of Schedule I of FMGL. 2021]
Do FMGs need to appear for the National Exit Test?
FMGs have to clear the National Exit Test or such other mandated test or tests conducted by NMC [Reg. 4 (d) of FMGL. 2021]
Do FMGs need to be registered in the country which awards them the degree?
Yes; FMGs need to be registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country [Reg. 4 (b) of FMGL. 2021]
Is there any time limit for completion of the course?
Yes; the total duration of the foreign medical graduation course shall be completed within ten years from the date of joining the course. [Reg. 2 (iv) of Schedule I of FMGL. 2021]
Are FMGs allowed to take transfer to an Indian medical college for internship and exams?
No. The entire course, training, and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than country from where the primary medical qualification is obtained. [Reg. 2 (iii) of Schedule I of FMGL. 2021)
What are the regulations applicable for internship of FMGs?
Internship of FMGs shall be as per provisions of National MeclirnI Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021.
What should be the duration of the internship?
Minimum duration of twelve months in the same foreign medical institution [Reg.4 (a) (ii) of FMGL. 2021]
Is it mandatory for FMGs to do internships in India?
Yes; In addition to completing an internship for a minimum duration of twelve months in the same foreign medical institution, FMGs are required to undergo a supervised internship in India for a minimum term of twelve months.
Where should FMGs apply for internship?
FMGs should apply for internship with the respective State Medical Council through National Medical Commission.
What are the conditions to be fulfilled by FMGs to be eligible for internship in India?
FMGs must have:
- undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with minimum duration of fifty-four months;
- undergone an internship for a minimum duration of twelve months in the same foreign medical institution;
- received a foreign medical degree with medium of instructions in English;
- studied the mandatory subjects specified in the Schedule-I;
- registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country;
- passed the screening test or National Exit Test or such other mandated test or tests conducted by NMC;
- obtained provisional registration from the respective State Medical Council.
Is internship/clerkship same as that of clinical posting & training during the 54 months of MBBS course or is it separate?
No; internship/clerkship and clinical posting & training are separate phases of practical learning. While, clinical posting & training is a part of the 54 months MBBS course, internship is done after the completion of MBBS course but is an integral part of undergraduate medical education degree.
What are the provisions regarding online classes?
Foreign Medical Graduates are allowed to undergo online classes of theory subjects only and supplemented by offline practical and clinical training done in the Medical University and its affiliated Hospital during the course of MBBS. They are also required to furnish Certificate of successful completion for the same.
