Guidelines for registration of Foreign Medical Graduates

The National Medical Commission published the Foreign Medical Graduates Licentiate Regulations, 2021 and Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship Regulations, 2021. 

FMGL Regulations 2021

The National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021 (FMGL Regulations 2021) outlines the registration and the criteria to recognise foreign medical graduates. The guiding principle for licensing a foreign medical graduate to practice in India is to ensure that the Foreign Medical Graduate fulfils the requirements of education and training equivalent or commensurate with that of an Indian medical graduate.

To access the complete Regulations, click here.

Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship Regulations, 2021

To access the complete Regulations, click here.

Applicability of FMGL Regulations 2021

The Commission hereby reiterates that the provisions contained in FMGL Regulations, 2021 are not applicable in the following cases:

• 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 have joined their undergraduate medical education in foreign institutions prior to 18th Nov, 2021; and
• Such foreign medical graduates who are specifically exempted by the Central Government, by notification.

Therefore, the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) who have acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification, as the case may be, and the candidates who have joined their education in foreign institutions, prior to 18^th Nov, 2021, shall be governed by the provisions contained in previously applicable regulations, namely “The Screening Test Regulations 2002” and 'The Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002”

Applicability of  CRMI Regulations

However, the CRMI Regulations have been made effective from the date of publication in Gazette of India i.e. 18 Nov 2021. As per the provision contained in NMC's CRMI Regulations, Indian citizens (including overseas Indian citizens) who are Foreign Medical Graduates. who do not fall under the purview of the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021 shall be regulated by the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 13 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102. of 1956) in accordance with the Advisory no MCI-203(1)(Gen)/2020- Regn. /118239, dated ihe 2nd September, 2020 and shall be required to complete CRMI in India if they have not undergone such practical training after obtaining such qualification as may be required by the rules and regulations in force in the country granting such qualification or has not undergone any Practical training in that country.

Exemption offered under situations beyond control

In addition to the above, it has further been observed that there are also some Foreign Medical Graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situation which is beyond their control, such as Pandemic COVID-19 and war etc. Considering the agony & stress faced by these foreign medical graduates, their application to complete the remaining part of internship in India is considered eligible. Accordingly, the same may be processed by State Medical Councils provided that the candidates must have cleared FMGE before applying for completion of internship in India.

Taking into the consideration all the relevant provisions of NMC's Regulations and circumstances, the Commission decided to issue the detailed guidelines/process which is required to be followed by State Medical Councils for grant of registration of FMGs till further instructions from the Commission or implementation of NExT Exam, whichever occurs earlier. State Medical Councils should ensure the following conditions/criteria while processing the case for grant of registration of FMGs:

• The medical qualification/degree must be registerable 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.
• Documentary evidence certifying success completion of physical training or internship during the medical qualification equivalent to MBBS, if conducted in foreign institute.
• Copy of passport with VISA and immigration details
• Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) conducted by National Board of Examination(NBE) should be cleared by the candidates seeking registration in India.
• If the candidate is found fulfilling all the above mentioned criteria, provisional registration may be granted by State Medical Councils for 12 month internship or balance period, as the case may be.
• Internship shall be permissible in medical college hospital or hospital attached to medical colleges, permitted by the Commission.
• The maximum quota for allocation of internship to FMGs must be restricted to additional 7.5% of total permitted seats in a medical
• State Medical Councils should obtain an undertaking from the medical college that no amount/fee is charged by the medical college from the FMGs for permitting them to do their internship. The stipend & other facilities to FMGs should be extended equivalent to Indian Medical Graduates being trained at Government Medical Colleges as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.

Source : National Medical Commission