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Thousands of Indian students who pursued their medical degrees abroad, only to be uprooted by war and pandemic, now face a bureaucratic nightmare that has stretched their professional aspirations into a decade-long ordeal. While the standard pathway for medical education in India is 5.5 years of study followed by a one-year internship, recent policy changes by the National Medical Commission (NMC) have rewritten the equation for foreign medical graduates (FMGs).
The crisis began in earnest with the mass evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine in 2022 and earlier disruptions in China due to COVID-19. Many students completed significant portions of their studies online, a necessity forced upon them by global emergencies. Yet, upon returning to India and clearing the Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) exam, these students now face a three-year internship requirement—three times the usual duration for domestic graduates. The NMC justifies this as compensation for missed clinical training, but students describe it as a form of “bonded labour,” with their professional lives indefinitely suspended.
Inconsistent Implementation Across States
The implementation of these policies varies wildly across India. Dr. Shivam Sharma from Haryana, who studied in Ukraine, found himself trapped in a three-year internship, while his peers in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu received reduced periods—some as short as one year. “If you look at it as a timeline, I will spend nearly 10 years just to complete MBBS,” Sharma laments.
Dr. Rohit Tekade, who studied in China, faced a similar fate. After passing the FMG exam in January 2023, he was assigned a three-year internship, while his batchmates in Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh were given only one or two years. Tekade’s inquiries to the NMC revealed that one year was mandatory for not completing an internship abroad, and the remaining two were a “penalty” for online education.
Clerkship or Internship? A Distinction Without a Difference
Dr. Adarsh from Madhya Pradesh discovered that the NMC’s distinction between “internship” and “clerkship” exists only on paper. “On the ground, there’s absolutely no difference. We do the same duties, the same hours, and still, we are made to pay Rs 4,000 to the government for clerkship registration,” he says. Indian MBBS students complete 1,900 hours of internship, but FMGs are required to do 3,000 hours, a disparity that has led to accusations of exploitation.
Frustrated by the lack of clarity and fairness, Adarsh and others have turned to the courts. “We gathered documentation, evidence, and testimonies, and filed a case in the Madhya Pradesh (MP) High Court,” Adarsh explains. The court has repeatedly questioned the NMC about the practical differences between internship and clerkship, as none exist in practice.
A Glimmer of Hope
Recent court interventions have offered some relief. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has allowed FMGs to fill NEET PG 2025 forms while their cases are pending, recognizing the urgency of their situation. The court has also noted the lack of uniformity across states and questioned the sudden policy changes that disrupted students’ preparation plans.
A Lost Generation of Medical Professionals
The prolonged education timeline not only delays these students’ entry into the healthcare workforce but also represents a massive waste of human resources at a time when India faces a critical shortage of doctors. These young doctors, who sought affordable medical education abroad due to limited seats in India, now find themselves penalized for circumstances entirely beyond their control.
Disclaimer
This article is based on information from Edexlive and interviews with affected students. The views and experiences expressed are those of the individuals and may not reflect the official stance of the National Medical Commission or any other government body. The situation is ongoing and subject to change as legal proceedings continue.
