NMC extends FMG internship in non-teaching hospitals till May 2028: All FMGs Association

New Delhi: In a major relief to thousands of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) across the country, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has extended the tenure for Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for the graduates in recognised non-teaching hospitals till May 2028, according to an FMG medicos' body.

However, the Commission has not yet issued any public notice or official circular announcing the extension. The development was informed by the All FMGs Association (AFA), following recent discussions with NMC officials regarding internship allocation and permanent registration-related issues.

The update comes after repeated representations from FMG associations, including the All India Medical Students Association – FMG Wings (AIMSA-FMSW) and the All FMGs Association (AFA), which had sought an extension of the provision that was earlier scheduled to end in May 2026.

In an official reply to an FMG’s complaint regarding the matter, the Commission clarified that the duration of internship in non-teaching hospitals has now been extended up to May 2028, subject to the concerned State Medical Councils furnishing necessary details.

As per NMC Public Notice No. U-15024/9/2023-UGMEB dated 15th May 2024, recognised non-teaching hospitals were earlier permitted for FMG internships till May 2026. The latest decision extends the timeline by two more years.

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The issue gained attention after FMGs raised concerns that discontinuation of the permission could lead to delays in CRMI completion and uncertainty in future of the graduates. 

In a previous communication to the NMC Secretary, the associations had requested a five-year extension as the current tenure is ending this month. They stated that the provision had helped address the shortage of internship seats in government and teaching hospitals, but discontinuing this permission at present may create a major crisis for FMGs who are already facing prolonged delays in the commencement and completion of internships.

The associations further highlighted that several State Medical Councils were not fully implementing or following NMC guidelines and public notices issued for FMGs. They said that many councils are stating that they require "further clarification" from NMC before proceeding with Permanent registration or internship-related processes. 

"Unfortunately, despite repeated communications from the councils and affected FMGs, timely responses and clarifications are often not being received from NMC, leading to unnecessary delays and confusion. As a result, thousands of FMCs are suffering academically, financially, and mentally due to uncertainty regarding internship allotment, permanent registration, and implementation of existing NMC notifications," the association said. 

On May 20, representatives from AIMSA-FMSW and AFA, including Dr Divya (Secretary, Delhi), Dr Kushmit (Vice President, Delhi), and Dr Zeeshan (Representative for Assam FMGs), held a meeting with officials of the NMC to discuss ongoing issues faced by FMGs across states, including internship allocation and registration delays.

Explaining the discussion, Dr Kaushal from AFA told Medical Dialogues that "NMC informed them that many State Medical Councils are currently sending their queries only to the UGME Board, due to which responses are getting delayed and important matters are not reaching the concerned authorities on time."

Regarding the issue of non-teaching hospitals for FMG internships, He said, "NMC has already mailed three State Medical Councils on this matter and will further communicate with all State Medical Councils to facilitate internship opportunities for FMGs in non-teaching hospitals as well."

On the Assam issue, He said that "NMC replies have already been sent to the concerned State Medical Councils, including Assam and Odisha, and discussions are progressing positively. We are hopeful for a favourable outcome soon."

During the meeting, NMC also discussed the ongoing seat crisis and internship-related issues in certain State Medical Councils, especially in states like West Bengal. NMC advised that whenever there is confusion or any pending query from a State Medical Council, the council authorities should directly email the Secretary’s office along with the UGME Board so that proper clarification can be provided without unnecessary delay.

He also mentioned that NMC is fully ready to help FMGs, but if there is any communication gap or delay in forwarding queries properly, the resolution process will naturally get delayed further. Therefore, State Medical Councils must ensure timely communication with NMC, especially by marking the Secretary’s office on all important mails.

Regarding the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) issue, Dr Kaushal said, "DMC had mailed only to the UGME Board but had not marked or mailed the Secretary’s office, due to which the reply was delayed. The same situation applies to the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) as well. We are hopeful that both the DMC and RMC issues will be resolved soon, replies will be issued, and all pending queries will be clarified shortly."

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