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Delhi, April 26, 2025: Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Delhi are facing a critical bottleneck in completing their Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM) internship postings, essential for fulfilling the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) requirements. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has formally written to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Government of NCT Delhi, highlighting the non-availability of internship seats and urging immediate remedial measures.
Systemic Failures and Seat Shortages
The NMC’s letter, issued on April 25, references numerous representations from FMGs who are struggling to secure the remaining three months of their clinical postings in PSM departments within Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) hospitals. This disruption is attributed to systemic failures, including a shortage of internship seats and institutional reluctance to accept FMGs.
According to NMC guidelines, 7.5% of the total internship seats in Delhi hospitals are reserved for FMGs. However, FMGs argue this quota is insufficient given the rising number of candidates clearing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE). An anonymous FMG explained, “The number of students who cleared the FMGE is higher than 7.5% and has improved over the last year, yet the seat allocation has not adjusted accordingly.”
Institutional Challenges and Supreme Court Mandate
The issue is compounded by a Supreme Court directive requiring medical institutions to pay stipends to FMGs or face penalties of Rs 50,000. Many teaching hospitals, which alone have PSM departments, are hesitant to offer internships under these conditions. Non-teaching hospitals lack PSM departments, and FMGs cannot easily seek postings in other states due to domicile restrictions.
One FMG noted, “The only viable solution is to increase the number of internship seats for FMGs rather than relying on individual hospitals to accommodate them.”
Calls for Policy Reforms and Funding
FMGs suggest that increasing funding for teaching hospitals to pay stipends and mandating a higher percentage of CRMI seats for FMGs could alleviate the crisis. However, these changes require authority beyond the DGHS, MCD, or Delhi Medical Council (DMC), resting solely with the Department of Health.
Impact on FMGs and Future Prospects
The ongoing stalemate has left many FMGs in limbo, unable to complete their internships, practice, or pursue further education. One aspirant shared, “Our CRMI has been abruptly halted, leaving us stuck at home. We cannot work elsewhere as we are not licensed, nor can we advance academically without completing our internships.”
This delay threatens to cause many FMGs to miss critical deadlines, such as registration for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG), further jeopardizing their medical careers.
NMC Demands Accountability
The NMC has directed the DGHS to take “stern measures against authorities responsible” for the disruption and to ensure FMGs complete their internships promptly. It has also requested an urgent detailed report on the matter.
Despite assurances from authorities, FMGs remain skeptical about timely resolution. “We have only received promises but no concrete action,” said one FMG.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information available as of April 26, 2025, from reports by EdexLive and official communications from the National Medical Commission. The situation is evolving, and readers are advised to consult official sources for the latest updates.
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