FMGs need to Clear Screening Test within 10 Years of Completing Their Course: NMC
New Delhi: There will now be a time limit of 10 years for the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) to clear their licentiate examination, to be able to get registered and practice in India.
The Apex Medical Body i.e. the National Medical Commission (FMGs) has clarified that medical graduates from abroad will have to clear the licentiate exam- either the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) or the National Exit Test (NExT) whichever will be applicable at the time, within 10 years from completing their medical education.
In this regard, the Commission recently issued a clarification for the FMGs and mentioned, "The time limit for appearing in FMG Examination/ NExT will be 10 years from the completion of their training/ course in Foreign Medical Institution."
It is mandatory for Foreign Medical Graduates to clear the licentiate examination to undergo the mandatory Internship and thereafter get a licence to practice medicine in India. The FMGE examination is held twice a year. Currently, there is no time limit for medical graduates from abroad to clear this test.
As per the announcements earlier made by NMC, the National Exit Test (NExT) will replace the NEET PG and FMGE examination and act as the common exit cum licentiate examination for medical graduates in India and from abroad. However, NExT has yet not been implemented by the Commission.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that by issuing a Public Notice on 22.11.2023, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC offered clarification regarding several issues faced by FMGs who returned from Ukraine and those who pursued their medical education in the Philippines.
This comes after the Commission took note of various representations from various State Medical Councils and also considered grievances regarding various difficulties faced by foreign medical graduates, especially the students from Ukraine and the Phillippines.
One of the major reliefs that was offered by NMC was allowing the FMGs from Ukraine to continue their studies from different countries (except India) to avail the benefits of the Academic Mobility Program within the next three months.
Apart from the Academic Mobility Program, NMC addressed several other issues relating to the FMGs and issued clarifications. The Commission dealt with the issue of FMGs from Ukraine including those who duly completed their medical course in the foreign medical institute, who had a break in their final year and completed the course online, and those who had a break in the penultimate year of study.
For these FMGs, NMC discussed the requirements regarding clinical clerkship, mandatory completion of the CRMI programme, issues like clerkship fees, stipend during CRMI, etc.
The Commission also referred to the issue of MBBS in the Phillippines. In this respect, the Commission clarified that the FMGs who were admitted to the MD course on or before 18.11.2021 can complete the said course and undergo the mandatory internship. Further, the matter regarding the issue of the eligibility certificates to FMGs was also discussed by NMC.
