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The Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) has filed a review petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking an extension of time and clarity regarding two court verdicts related to the registration of foreign medical graduates (FMGs). This move follows the High Court’s July 9 directive mandating APMC to grant permanent registration to FMG K Vamsi within a month, despite the Indian embassy in Kyrgyzstan not confirming the authenticity of his graduation certificate. The council also seeks clarification on the required internship period for FMGs amid evolving norms issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The review petition comes after the High Court’s August 4 order instructing APMC to issue detailed explanations, or “speaking orders,” on why permanent registration requests were denied to four other FMGs. The APMC’s petition follows advice from the NMC, which emphasized the necessity of physical clinical study for FMGs and raised concerns about substituting online studies—undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war—for offline clinical training.
The NMC reiterated its regulation that FMGs must complete a one-year compulsory internship in India after offline medical graduation abroad. Additionally, due to disruptions caused by the pandemic and geopolitical conflicts, FMGs are required to undergo one to two years of clerkship in India to compensate for the period of online or disrupted studies, based on passport entries and attendance. Compensation certificates from foreign institutions detailing clinical and academic coursework must be authenticated by Indian embassies.
The NMC expressed concern that complying with the High Court’s July 9 directive could lead to “arbitrary relaxation of norms” designed to maintain uniform medical education standards nationwide. It advised APMC to request an extension to comply with that judgment.
Health and Family Welfare officials, including Special Chief Secretary M T Krishna Babu, sought NMC clarification on how much physical onsite study FMGs must complete to offset online instruction and the necessary details for compensation certificates.
The issue has spotlighted challenges in balancing regulatory standards with pandemic-related educational disruptions, amidst ongoing protests and administrative delays reported by FMGs awaiting registration in Andhra Pradesh.
Disclaimer: This article is based on available reports as of August 2025. Information may evolve as further court decisions and regulatory clarifications occur. Readers should refer to official Andhra Pradesh Medical Council and National Medical Commission announcements for the most current details.
