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Patna, June 5, 2025 — In the sweltering heat outside the Bihar Council of Medical Registration (BCMR) office in Patna, hundreds of young doctors stand united, not in hospital wards, but on the protest lines. These are Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) — Indian students who completed their MBBS abroad and cleared the rigorous Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in January 2025. Yet, five months later, their medical careers remain on hold, trapped in bureaucratic limbo.
A Crisis of Delays and Broken Promises
The ordeal began when Bihar’s authorities released internship allotment lists for FMGs twice this year, only to retract them both times. The first list, published on April 17, was withdrawn due to printing errors. The revised list, released on April 22, was scrapped by the Bihar Health Department citing alleged violations of National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines.
Since then, the silence from authorities has been deafening. No clear explanations, no timelines, and no accountability have been offered to the hundreds of affected graduates. Promises made by officials have repeatedly been postponed, leaving these qualified doctors in a state of uncertainty.
Stories of Sacrifice and Disappointment
Among the protesters are Baibhav Kapoor and Manav Pranav, whose stories echo those of many others. Both endured years of rigorous study in Kyrgyzstan, overcoming homesickness, financial strain, and even the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic and mob violence abroad. Their families invested lakhs of rupees and countless dreams in their education.
Despite clearing the FMGE and obtaining provisional registration in March, Baibhav and Pranav remain unable to start their compulsory internships — a crucial step for full medical registration in India. While their peers from other states have already begun their internships through transparent online systems, Bihar’s process remains opaque and offline, plagued by mismanagement and allegations of corruption.
The Human and Systemic Toll
The personal toll is immense. Pranav’s parents, both over 60, carry the burden of educational loans, while he faces mounting pressure to start earning and support his family. The emotional exhaustion of years spent abroad is now compounded by bureaucratic indifference at home.
The protest has also exposed a breakdown in communication between the BCMR and the Health Department, with each blaming the other for the delays. Graduates recount being given vague, handwritten assurances instead of concrete solutions.
Beyond individual frustration, the stakes are high: if these graduates do not complete their internships by July 31, 2026, they will be ineligible for the NEET PG entrance exam, potentially losing another year of their professional lives.
Shortage of Seats, Surplus of Qualified Doctors
A key issue is Bihar’s limited capacity for internships. The current cap allows only 7.5% of seats — 969 in total — for FMGs across the state’s medical colleges, far fewer than the number of qualified candidates. As more students pass the FMGE each year, the gap between available seats and demand continues to widen.
Baibhav and others argue that this seat cap is outdated and unrealistic, leaving many qualified doctors unable to serve despite a pressing need for healthcare professionals in Bihar.
A Call for Dignity and Reform
As the protest enters another day, these medical graduates remain resolute. They demand not just internships, but dignity, transparency, and recognition of their hard-earned qualifications. Their plight highlights a medical bureaucracy in urgent need of reform — one that must recognize the value of those who have overcome immense odds to serve their communities.
For now, their stethoscopes gather dust, while Bihar’s healthcare system continues to struggle with shortages. The graduates vow to continue their protest until their voices are heard and their right to heal is restored.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information reported by EdexLive as of June 4, 2025. The situation is evolving, and readers are advised to consult official sources or the latest news updates for the most current information regarding the status of Foreign Medical Graduates in Bihar.
