Kasturba medical college Manipal MBBS qualification recognised for medical registration in Singapore
Singapore: Kasturba Medical College, KMC Manipal- a constituent of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has recently been officially recognised by the Singapore Government as one of eight newly approved overseas medical schools, marking a major boost for Indian medical education.
The recognition is effective from February 1, 2026, a MAHE release said on Tuesday.
From 2026 onwards, aspiring medical students may apply to KMC Manipal with the assurance that the MBBS qualification is recognised for medical registration in Singapore. Graduates from KMC Manipal, irrespective of nationality and year of graduation, will be eligible to seek registration with SMC, subject to fulfilling regulatory and supervisory requirements. This milestone further strengthens MAHE's international footprint and reaffirms its role in shaping globally competent healthcare professionals, as per ANI report.
The inclusion of KMC, Manipal, places it among a select group of 120 globally reputed medical schools from countries such as Australia, Ireland, Malaysia, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
According to a recent PTI report, aspiring doctors in Singapore can study in another eight overseas institutions, including Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India, as the city-state will recognise degrees from these universities to meet growing demand from the ageing population.
The newly approved schools will help Singapore better meet the growing demand for doctors amid an ageing population, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Medical Council (SMC) said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
The latest addition of the eight universities brings the total number of recognised overseas medical schools in Singapore from 112 to 120 as of February 1, 2026. The Ministry said it has accepted SMC’s recommendation to add eight medical schools to the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act 1997.
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Besides Manipal, the other universities added to the medical college lists are: Adelaide University in Australia, University of Galway in Ireland, Universiti Sains Malaysia in Malaysia, The Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan, Tsinghua University in China, University of Exeter in Britain and City St George’s, University of London in Britain.
From 2026, students who wish to pursue a medical degree can apply to these overseas schools, said the statement.
The SMC occasionally reviews overseas medical qualifications to ensure that training standards are comparable with those in Singapore. The assessment considers factors such as academic quality, language of instruction, clinical exposure, and graduates' performance in professional practice. The announcement follows SMC's review of the list of registrable medical qualifications to ensure that foreign-trained medical doctors applying to practice in Singapore have received education and training comparable with Singapore's medical schools.
“SMC regularly reviews the list of registrable medical qualifications to ensure that foreign-trained medical doctors who apply to practise in Singapore have received training that is comparable with schools in Singapore,” the statement said.
It added that many factors are taken into consideration, including the international rankings of the schools, ensuring the language of instruction of the schools is in English, and the performance of doctors from these universities.
“The additions (institutions) will allow Singapore to better meet the growing demand for doctors as our population ages, even as we have increased the annual local medical school intake from around 440 students in 2014, to 555 in 2025,” the statement said.
All graduates from the medical schools, whether Singaporean or not, and who graduated before or after 2026, can register with SMC to practise medicine in Singapore.
“SMC will continue to assess foreign-trained medical doctors in their initial years through a supervisory framework to ensure high standards of medical practice,” the statement said.
Hailing the recognition Dr. H.S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor, said, "As the longest-serving official of MAHE, I am proud to see KMC Manipal recognized by the Singapore Medical Council. This milestone reflects our enduring commitment to excellence and honors the vision of our founder, Dr. TMA Pai, whose legacy continues to guide us."
Welcoming the announcement, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh VSM (Retd.), Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said, "This recognition by the Singapore Medical Council is a moment of pride for Manipal Academy of Higher Education and a strong validation of the academic rigor, clinical depth, and global relevance of KMC, Manipal. This achievement not only elevates the international stature of KMC but also opens new global pathways for our graduates. It reaffirms our mission to produce competent, ethical, and globally competitive medical professionals who can serve healthcare systems across borders."
Celebrating this milestone, Dr. Sharath Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences), MAHE, said, "This recognition by the Singapore Medical Council is a proud moment for KMC Manipal and for India. Being the only Indian medical school to be included among the newly recognised institutions underscores the strength of our academic framework, clinical training standards, and global relevance. It reflects decades of commitment to excellence in medical education and reinforces KMC's standing as a trusted institution on the world stage."
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