NMC spells out limits for Electives, Observership by Foreign Medical Doctors in India

New Delhi: Standardising the Electives and Observership programmes offered to Foreign Nationals at medical colleges across the country, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued guidelines for the grant of a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to such medicos. These guidelines set the duration, allocation of seats, processing fee and overall mandate for the Electives and Observership programmes for Foreign Nationals.

As per the provisions under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, it is not mandatory for foreign candidates to have temporary registration with erstwhile MCI (now NMC) at the time of writing NEET PG. Foreign Nationals can write NEET-PG without registration. However, they are required to obtain temporary registration from the apex medical regulator for the duration of the PG course restricted to the Medical College/institution to which they are admitted.

The issuance of NOC is the prerogative of the medical institutions and based on the NOC, provisional registrations are processed for Foreign Nationals.

As per the recently issued NMC guidelines, Foreign Nationals will not be allowed to pursue electives or observership training with the approval of the NMC. On the number of foreign nationals allotted seats in medical colleges, the NMC has directed that for the UG category, the number cannot exceed 5 percent of the total intake of the institution, whereas, for Postgraduation, the criteria is set at only 2 Foreign National candidates per speciality.

During the observership, trainees are not permitted to be involved in any patient care. The Foreign Medical Doctors are also not allowed to opt for another elective or observership programme a second time until a minimum of one year is completed from the day of completion of the previous Elective/Observership.

The guidelines applicable from today, 1st March 2023, also specify the processing fee to grant permission to Foreign Nationals for Elective Observership.

"In order to review the existing practices available in the erstwhile Medical Council of India regarding the grant of "No Objection Certificate" to medical students/doctors from foreign countries, a Committee was constituted under the Chairpersonship of the President, UGMEB to define the norms/guidelines in respect of Electives/Observership by Foreign Nationals in Indian Medical Institutes/Colleges under National Medical Commission," stated the notification issued by Shambhu Sharan Kumar, Director of UG Medical Education Board of the NMC.

As per the recommendation of the Committee, all the medical institutes/colleges are hereby directed to follow the following norms/guidelines while applying to the Commission for the grant of NOC for Electives/Observership by Foreign Nationals in India -

1. NO Foreign National shall be allowed Electives/Observership in any Indian Medical Institute/University in any capacity without the consent of the National Medical Commission.

2. Number of Foreign Nationals for Electives/Observership in the UG Category in a given academic year shall NOT exceed 5% of the sanctioned annual intake of that medical college.

3. The maximum number of Foreign Medical doctors for Electives/ Observership in the PG Category shall NOT exceed 2 (two) doctors in each speciality per year in an institute/college.

4. NO international student coming for Electives/Observership (UG or PG category) shall be allowed to examine or treat the patients.

5. The maximum period of Electives/Observership shall be 90 days only.

6. The processing fee to grant permission to Foreign Nationals for Elective Observership shall be US $100 (hundred US Dollars only) or equivalent (excluding GST) for undergraduate students and US $200 (two hundred US Dollars only) or equivalent (excluding GST) for postgraduate students.

7. A foreign national who has once availed of elective observership in India shall not be allowed to do the same second time until a minimum of one year is completed from the day of completion of the previous Elective/Observership.

To view the official NMC notification, click here