NMC advisory for students eyeing private medical colleges abroad

NEW DELHI: National Medical Commission (NMC) has warned aspiring students against choosing to study in private medical colleges abroad that do not adhere to regulations laid down by it.

In 2021, NMC published Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiates (FMGL) Regulations. It states that no foreign medical graduate shall be granted registration to practice in India unless she or he has undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with a minimum duration of 54 months and an internship for a minimum duration of 12 months in the same foreign medical institution.

The NMC regulation also stated that 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.

Despite the advisory , several Indian students are seeking admission to private medical colleges abroad, which do not adhere to these regulations, NMC said. It has, therefore, issued another warning.

"Any variation in duration, medium of instructions, syllabus, clinical training or internship may lead to disqualification in grant of registration in India," the NMC said. Some colleges abroad teach in their native language which is a major impediment in learning.