Only 2 years for FMGs to clear Screening tests in India after MBBS abroad: NMC releases new draft regulation

Draft regulations for Foreign Medical Graduate FMG 2021

No. NMC -In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 57 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (30 of 2019), the National Medical Commission hereby makes the following regulations namely:

1. Short title and Commencement- (1) These regulations may be called the Foreign Medical Graduate Regulations, 2021

(2) They shall come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Definition:

(a) A Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) is the one who has acquired primary medical qualification in modern system of medicine in a country other than India.

(b) Primary Medical Qualification- "Primary Medical qualification" means a medical qualification awarded by any medical institution outside India which is a recognized qualification for enrolment as medical practitioner in the country in which the institution awarding the said qualification is situated and the medical education curriculum shall be commensurate with the MBBS curriculum prescribed by NMC. The curriculum from the foreign medical college shall be available on the date of their joining the course, on the website of the said college. The candidate is expected to follow the syllabus throughout the course.

3. Eligibility Criteria for licensing to Practice in India: No person shall allowed to obtain license for practicing medicine in India unless a person fulfills the following criteria:-

(i) Eligibility/Requirements prior to entry into the Medial College/Institution-For those who have completed their Senior Secondary School education in India prior to joining a medical college overseas:

(a)Total of twelve (12) years of schooling (Senior Secondary/ Higher Secondary/ Intermediate/ Secondary or equivalent) duly recognized by the appropriate authority in Central/State/UT Govt.

(b) Passing of the appropriate Class twelve (12) Examination as indicated in the clause (i) with minimum eligible marks being notified prior to the entrance examinations.

(c)Person should have studied science subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology as the core or main subjects in the last two years of schooling or during graduation after schooling (which shall include practical tests in these subjects);

(d)Person should have successfully qualified in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates [NEET(US)] for the purpose of taking admission in the Foreign Medical Institution.

(ii) Eligibility Requirements for a person intending to practice in India after completion of their Senior Secondary Education as well as MBBS or its equivalent medical qualification from outside India-

(a)In case a person has studied senior secondary education and undergraduate Medical education from outside India according to the rules and regulations of the country where he has completed his education, he shall be entitled to obtain license to practice in India provided he has completed at least 12 years of schooling with science subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology and English in their school completion or equivalent examination or in their graduation as core subjects with subsequent successful completion of at least First year of Graduation in Science with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology provided that a university or equivalent examination in theory and practical was held in these subjects;

(b)Person has undergone minimum of four and half years(54 months) of theoretical and practical training for acquisition of primary medical qualification i.e., undergraduate medical training(MBBS) after 10+2 educational structure with an additional 12 months of internship/ clinical clerkship after qualifying in the country where the medical qualification has been awarded. The MBBS education must have been in English medium.

Or

Person has undergone minimum of four years (48 months) of theoretical and practical training for acquisition of primary medical qualification i.e. undergraduate medical training (MBBS) in English, after graduation and with practical/ clinical training conducted physically with an additional 12 months of internship/ clinical clerkship after qualifying in the country where the medical qualification has been awarded.

(c) Primary qualifications to be obtained in a foreign Medical Institution shall include theoretical classes, practical clinical training and twelve (12) months of compulsory rotating internship/ clinical clerkship commensurate with rotating internship in India which shall include hands-on training in clinical subjects of Community Medicine, General medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, including PM&R, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Casualty services, lab services, Elective posting in either of Dermatology- Venereology-Leprosy, Tuberculosis & Respiratory Medicine, Radio diagnosis, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Blood bank and Transfusion Services.

(d)The entire undergraduate medical training and internship shall be outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the regular course of study and no part of medical training and internship should have been done in India or in any country other than country from where undergraduate training is obtained.

(e) A Person shall be eligible to be Registered/ Licensed to practice in a country where the MBBS or its equivalent medical degree has been awarded by that foreign medical institution. The registration in that country should be valid for at least 10 years.

(iii) A person intending to practice in India after obtaining primary Medical qualifications need to qualify the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) until the National Exist Test (NExT) becomes operational. The National Exist Test (NExT) examination shall consist of NExT step 1 and NExT step 2. For FMGs, Step 1 will includes an additional paper to assess the knowledge of pre and para-clinical subjects also. Foreign medical Graduates are required to qualify Screening test in India(FMGE/NExT) within 2 years of completing the MBBS abroad.