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The Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) from Ukraine who are willing to continue their studies from different countries (except India), will have to avail the benefits of the Academic Mobility Program within the next three months, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has clarified.
Issuing a Public Notice on 22.11.2023, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC referred to the Academic Mobility Programme scheme dated 15th September 2022, through which the FMGs returning from war-torn Ukraine were given a one-time measure to complete their remaining medical course from different countries. In this regard, NMC specified a time limit of three months and mentioned, “This option of transfer/migration/mobility shall be availed within 3 months from the date of issue of this public notice.”
Apart from the Academic Mobility Program, NMC addressed several other issues relating to the FMGs and issued clarifications. This comes after the Commission took note of various representations from various State Medical Councils and also considering grievances regarding various difficulties faced by foreign medical graduates, especially the students from Ukraine and the Phillippines.
In the notice issued today, the NMC UG Board and Ethics Board 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 having a break in Penultimate year of study. For these FMGs, NMC discussed the requirements regarding clinical clerkship, mandatory completion of CRMI programme, issues like clerkship fees, stipend during CRMI, etc.
NMC also referred to the issue of MBBS in the Phillippines. In this respect, the Commission clarified that FMGs who took admission 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. Through the notice, the Commission also informed regarding the 10-year-cap on GMFs to clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) or the National Exit Test (NExT).
The Clarifications issued by the NMC UG Board and Ethics Board are as follows:
A. FMGs FROM UKRAINE
I. FMGs duly completed Medical course in Foreign Medical Institutes (Course equivalent to MBBS Course in India) as offline mode with or without one year of internship and returned to India.
The FMG is required to obtain Provisional Registration from concerned State Medical Council and thereafter undergo one year CRMI as per CRMI Regulation, 2021.
Such students are eligible to receive stipend in parity with Indian Medical Graduates.
II FMGs had a break in their Final year and returned to India (owing to COVID pandemic or war) and completed FMG course (including examination) in online mode only.
FMGs will have to undergo one (1) year clinical clerkship (CC) in India in lieu of deficiency in their training from their parent medical college.
The Indian Medical College may charge clerkship fee from FMGs maximum upto Rs. 5000/-PM.
After successful completion of 1 year clinical clerkship and supported by log book followed by authentication from concerned college authority, they will be allowed to begin CRMI which may be done in medical college or any recognized institute.
Such students at the stage of CRMI, shall be eligible to receive stipend equivalent to the stipend received by IMGs of that college/ Institution.
Allotment of such students to clinical clerkship or Internship programme will be done through concerned DME and SMC, in consultation with each other.
Existing FMGs undergoing internship be allowed to continue to complete their two years before permanent registration given by the State Medical Council
III. FMGs having a break in Penultimate year of study (owing to COVID pandemic or war) and completed FMG course (including examination) in online mode only.
Such students have to undergo two (2) years of clinical clerkship supported by logbook, further authenticated by concerned college authority.
The Indian Medical College may charge clerkship fee from FMGs maximum upto Rs. 5000/-PM.
After successful completion of 2 year clinical clerkship and supported by log book followed by authentication from concerned college authority, they will be allowed to begin CRMI which may be done in medical college or any recognized institute .
Such students at the stage of CRMI, shall be eligible to receive stipend equivalent to the stipend received by IMGs of that college/ Institution.
Allotment of such students to clinical clerkship or Internship programme will be done through concerned DME and SMC, in consultation with each other.
Existing FMGs, if any, already performing internship at present, may be allowed to continue with one year of internship. They may subsequently do one year clinical clerkship and one year internship. (Thus a total of three (3) years, before obtaining Permanent Registration from concerned SMC)
IV. Allowing FMGs from Ukraine to continue their study from different country (except India)
In continuation to the earlier scheme dated 15th September, 2022 namely Academic Mobility Program, NMC has decided to extend such scheme as a one-time measure to the FMGs returning from Ukraine to avail the benefits of said scheme and complete their remaining medical course. The Degree may however be awarded by the University to where they shall migrate. This option of transfer/migration/mobility shall be availed within 3 months from the date of issue of this public notice.
This is in addition to the above given I,II and III situations.
B. FMGs FROM PHILIPPINES
That with effect from 18.11.2021 i.e. with the publication of FMGL Regulation, 2021, NMC de-recognises BS Course in Philippines. Hence those FMGs who were studying BS Course or had taken admission in BS Course at the time of publication of FMGL Regulation are not allowed.
However FMGs having taken admission in MD Course on or before 18.11.2021 are eligible to complete the course and subsequently write FMG Examination in India. After qualifying FMGE, these FMGs are required to undergo one year of internship in order to compensate the deficiency in their training from parent foreign medical college followed by CRMI after obtaining provisional registration. (Since their course is of 48 months only unlike 54 months MBBS course in India).
In case of the break as mentioned under Situation II & III of Point A above, then similar condition shall be applicable here.
NOTE: THE DECISION TO INSIST ON AN ADDITIONAL YEARS OF CLERKSHIP IS BECAUSE THESE STUDENTS LACK PROPER PLANNED TRAINING AND PRACTICAL CLINICAL EXPOSURE FOR A LONGER PERIOD, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY.
C. ISSUE OF ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE (EC) TO FMGs
Keeping in view the fact that several thousand Indian students who have already commenced their pre-medical education, i.e., B.S. course in Philippines or premedical/language courses in any other foreign countries and that Eligibility Certificate is required to be granted on the criteria of age and marks in 10+2 as per Public Notice dated 14th September, 2018 issued by the erstwhile Medical Council of India and Order dated 27.09.2018 passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in WP(c)No.8091/2018 and connected matters, Indian Citizens/OCI who had not registered/appeared/qualified NEET-UG 2018 & 2019, were allowed to take admission in MBBS or equivalent medical course in a medical university outside the country in the academic year 2018-19 and 2019-20. However, such candidates are required to obtain/apply for an eligibility certificate from the Medical Council of India u/s 13(4B) of the IMC Act, 1956.
Such candidates should furnish their admission record in BS or any other premedical course/language course in the Foreign Countries with their application for an Eligibility Certificate alongwith details of travel including exit from India and entry back into India as well as entry / exit in that Foreign Country. The same may be accepted only on the basis of certified copies of passport wherein such details are duly recorded. It may be further clarified that, the present is a one-time exemption granted keeping in view the peculiar facts and circumstances that have arisen and all those who leave the Indian Shores for pursuing pre-medical/medical course for the academic year 2018-19 & 2019-20 shall be exempted from the requirement of NEET-2018 & 2019 in terms of the amendment dated 01.03.2018 to the Screening Test Regulations, 2002 and Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulation, 2002.”
D. CAPPING OF TIME LIMIT TO QUALIFY FMG EXAMINATION
The time limit for appearing in the FMG Examination/ NExT will be 10 years from the completion of their training/ course in Foreign Medical Institution.
