Clarification on various issues relating to Foreign Medical Graduates

Various issues/ grievances/ representations are being received from various State Medical Councils, stakeholders including Foreign Medical Graduates especially students from Ukraine and Philippines regarding difficulties being faced by them. Considering these representations, Under-Graduate Medical Education Board and Ethics and Medical Registration Board, National Medical Commission provide following clarifications dtd 22 November 2023 and 11th December, 2023.

Issues related to Internship of FMGs in Indian Institutes

What will be quota of seats available for internship in India for FMGs in various institutions of India?

Ans: The quota will be as mentioned in earlier FAQs; 7.5% of the permitted MBBS seats in old colleges who have their students pursuing CRMI and 100% in new medical colleges who do not have their own students doing CRMI.  

2. What will be the time frames for joining clinical clerkship and internship in India?  

Ans: Time frames for joining shall be as per recently published notification.

3. Who will be the authority to allot internship in India to these FMGs?        

Ans: The permission to be granted to these FMGs to join internship including the time frames and schedules in various institutions shall be decided jointly by State Medical Councils and State Directorate General of Medical Education/authorities allotting institutions to FMGs for pursuing internship. 

Can the candidates do clinical clerkship and internship in India in different institutes?

Ans: No. The students shall be continuing their compulsory rotating medical internship in the same institute/colleges where they shall be doing their clinical clerkship. 

FMGs FROM UKRAINE

Can the students pursuing their studies in Ukraine/ Russia at the time of Russia- Ukraine war be allowed to migrate to other countries?

Ans: Yes, these students shall be allowed to migrate to any country other than India.

What shall be the terms of migration?

Ans:

• Those candidates who have joined the course physically in Ukraine/ Russia before the Ukraine- Russia war and have returned/ were evacuated to India during the war period (i.e evacuation period of Operation Ganga w.e.f. 26.02.’22 to 11.03.’22).
• They shall be required to fulfil the FMGL regulations published on 18.11.2021 (other than migration) including period of education, subjects and training in various disciplines as per CBME curriculum, including Family Adoption programme, and procure certificate which grants them licence to practice modern medicine in that country.
• This permission for migration shall be specific for these students only who returned to India till 31st March, 2022.

How long will this permission for migration be granted? 

Ans: Period of permission of migration shall expire on 07.03.2024.

Others

1. FMGs duly completed Medical course in Foreign Medical Institutes (Course equivalent to MBBS Course in India) as offline mode with or without one year of internship and returned to India.
   • The FMG is required to obtain Provisional Registration from concerned State Medical Council and thereafter undergo one year CRMI as per CRMI Regulation, 2021.
   • Such students are eligible to receive stipend in parity with Indian Medical Graduates.
2. FMGs had a break in their Final year and returned to India (owing to COVID pandemic or war) and completed FMG course (including examination) in online mode only.
   • FMGs will have to undergo one (1) year clinical clerkship (CC) in India in lieu of deficiency in their training from their parent medical college.
   • The Indian Medical College may charge clerkship fee from FMGs maximum upto Rs. 5000/-PM.
   • After successful completion of 1 year clinical clerkship and supported by log book followed by authentication from concerned college authority, they will be allowed to begin CRMI which may be done in medical college or any recognized institute.
   • Such students at the stage of CRMI, shall be eligible to receive stipend equivalent to the stipend received by IMGs of that college/ Institution.
   • Allotment of such students to clinical clerkship or Internship programme will be done through concerned DME and SMC, in consultation with each other.
   • Existing FMGs undergoing internship be allowed to continue to complete their two years before permanent registration given by the State Medical Council
3. FMGs having a break in Penultimate year of study (owing to COVID pandemic or war) and completed FMG course (including examination) in online mode only.
   • Such students have to undergo two (2) years of clinical clerkship supported by logbook, further authenticated by concerned college authority.
   • The Indian Medical College may charge clerkship fee from FMGs maximum upto Rs. 5000/-PM.
   • After successful completion of 2 year clinical clerkship and supported by log book followed by authentication from concerned college authority, they will be allowed to begin CRMI which may be done in medical college or any recognized institute .
   • Such students at the stage of CRMI, shall be eligible to receive stipend equivalent to the stipend received by IMGs of that college/ Institution.
   • Allotment of such students to clinical clerkship or Internship programme will be done through concerned DME and SMC, in consultation with each other.
   • Existing FMGs, if any, already performing internship at present, may be allowed to continue with one year of internship. They may subsequently do one year clinical clerkship and one year internship. (Thus a total of three (3) years, before obtaining Permanent Registration from concerned SMC) 
4. Allowing FMGs from Ukraine to continue their study from different country (except India)
   • In continuation to the earlier scheme dated 15th September, 2022 namely Academic Mobility Program, NMC has decided to extend such scheme as a one-time measure to the FMGs returning from Ukraine to avail the benefits of said scheme and complete their remaining medical course. The Degree may however be awarded by the University to where they shall migrate. This option of transfer/migration/mobility shall be availed within 3 months from the date of issue of this public notice.
   • This is in addition to the above given 1,2 and 3 situations.

FMGs FROM PHILIPPINES

• That with effect from 18.11.2021 i.e. with the publication of FMGL Regulation, 2021, NMC de-recognises BS Course in Philippines. Hence those FMGs who were studying BS Course or had taken admission in BS Course at the time of publication of FMGL Regulation are not allowed.
• However FMGs having taken admission in MD Course on or before 18.11.2021 are eligible to complete the course and subsequently write FMG Examination in India. After qualifying FMGE, these FMGs are required to undergo one year of internship in order to compensate the deficiency in their training from parent foreign medical college followed by CRMI after obtaining provisional registration. (Since their course is of 48 months only unlike 54 months MBBS course in India).
• In case of break as mentioned under Situation II & III of Point A above, then similar condition shall be applicable here.
• NOTE: THE DECISION TO INSISIT ON AN ADDITIONAL YEARS OF CLERKSHIP IS BECAUSE THESE STUDENTS LACK PROPER PLANNED TRAINING AND PRACTICAL CLINICAL EXPOSURE FOR A LONGER PERIOD, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY.

ISSUE OF ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE (EC) TO FMGs

• Keeping in view the fact that several thousand Indian students who have already commenced their pre-medical education, i.e., B.S. course in Philippines or pre-medical/language courses in any other foreign countries and that Eligibility Certificate is required to be granted on the criteria of age and marks in 10+2 as per Public Notice dated 14th September, 2018 issued by the erstwhile Medical Council of India and Order dated 27.09.2018 passed by the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in WP(c)No.8091/2018 and connected matters, Indian Citizens/OCI who had not registered/appeared/qualified NEET-UG 2018 & 2019, were allowed to take admission in MBBS or equivalent medical course in a medical university outside the country in the academic year 2018-19 and 2019-20. However, such candidates are required to obtain/apply for an eligibility certificate from the Medical Council of India u/s 13(4B) of the IMC Act, 1956.
• Such candidates should furnish their admission record in BS or any other pre-medical course/language course in the Foreign Countries with their application for an Eligibility Certificate alongwith details of travel including exit from India and entry back into India as well as entry / exit in that Foreign Country. The same may be accepted only on the basis of certified copies of passport wherein such details are duly recorded. It may be further clarified that, the present is a one-time exemption granted keeping in view the peculiar facts and circumstances that have arisen and all those who leave the Indian Shores for pursuing pre-medical/medical course for the academic year 2018-19 & 2019-20 shall be exempted from the requirement of NEET-2018 & 2019 in terms of the amendment dated 01.03.2018 to the Screening Test Regulations, 2002 and Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulation, 2002.”

CAPPING OF TIME LIMIT TO QUALIFY FMG EXAMINATION

What will be the time limit for completing internship for FMGs?

Ans: The time limit for appearing in FMG Examination/NExT shall be in consonance with regulations applicable for Indian students. All FMGs shall have to complete their internship in India within 10 years of date of joining their Foreign Medical Institutions.

Documents required to submit to NMC/ State Medical Council/ National Board of Examination in Medical Education by FMGs

What are the documents required to be submitted by FMGs before seeking permission to appear in FMGL examination and before seeking registration to practise modern medicine/allopathy in India?

Ans:

• Passport, all visa documents providing evidence of stay in the country for medical education, total number of days of stay in the country at each time, total number of classes, clinics, practical training in various disciplines along with topics taught and hours for each subject.
• Certificate of passing for each year/ semester.
• Certificate establishing license to practice modern medicine/allopathy in the country of graduation.

Issues related to recognition of BS course

Which regulations will be applicable to students pursuing BS course  at the time of publication of FMGL regulations dated 18.11.2021?    

Ans: The old screening test regulation 2002 shall remain applicable to the students who were studying BS Course or had taken admission in BS course and were physically studying   at the time of publication of FMGL Regulation 2021 dated 18.11.2021.  However they shall have to undergo internship in India as per CRMI regulations 2021 dated 18.11.2021.

Source : National Medical Commission