NMC guidelines on foreign medical graduates binding on State Medical Council, says Health Minister Satya Kumar

NMC guidelines on foreign medical graduates binding on State Medical Council, says Health Minister Satya Kumar

“The Registrar of the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council does not have any independent authority to modify the NMC guidelines issued from time to time,” Satya Kumar Yadav said

Published - March 05, 2025 03:00 am IST - VIJAYAWADA

G.V.R. Subba Rao

Andhra Pradesh Medical and Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has asserted that the State government has to adhere to the guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs).

“The Registrar of the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council does not have any independent authority to modify the NMC guidelines issued from time to time,” Mr. Satya Kumar said on Tuesday (March 4, 2025).

“As per the NMC guidelines, the FMGs who studied online during their final year should have to do two years of internship (one year is clinical clerkship and one year is internship), and those who studied online during both penultimate and final years must complete three years of internship (two years will be clinical clerkship and one year internship), the Minister said in the Legislative Assembly.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs Pusapati Aditi Vijayalakshmi Gajapathi Raju, Nelavala Vijayasree, and Gondu Sankara Rao served a notice under Rule 74 calling the attention of the Minister on ‘Problems of foreign medical graduates’.

The Minister, making a statement, said some FMGs who returned to India due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War, and studied part of their MBBS course online, had requested the A.P. Medical Council to grant Permanent Registration after completing one year of internship as per the compensation certificates issued by the respective universities and also as per the NMC guidelines, he said.

After verification of the compensation letters submitted by the FMGs, it was found that they did not mention the period of online study and the period of compensation of online study with offline mode.

Hence, the A.P. Medical Council did not consider their applications for Permanent Registration, and they were directed to continue their Internship for a period of one more year to make-up for the loss of clinical training due to online study. But they ignored the orders of the A.P. Medical Council, the Minister said.

For FMGs who completed the entire course in the offline mode by staying abroad, Permanent Registrations were being granted after completion of one year of Internship in Andhra Pradesh.

A Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) is a one-year programme that the FMGs must complete in India after obtaining provisional registration from the State Medical Council. “The A.P. Medical Council is continuously communicating with the NMC for necessary instructions regarding the issues raised by the FMGs,” he added.

Published - March 05, 2025 03:00 am IST

Must clear NEET-UG to pursue medical courses abroad: SC

Must clear NEET-UG to pursue medical courses abroad: SC

21.02.2025

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has refused to interfere with a 2018 decision of Medical Council of India (MCI) mandating qualication in NEET as an eligibility criterion to pursue an undergraduate medical course in a foreign institution.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran said introducing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) qualication criterion ensures a fair and transparent procedure in the grant of eligibility certicate, and the regulation does not in any manner conict with the law. 

It said, "We find absolutely no reason to interfere with the regulations, in which context, the learned counsel sought for a one-time exemption as applicable to the petitioners. Obviously, afer the amended regulations came into effect, if any candidate chose to obtain admission in a foreign institution for pursuing a course   leading to a primary medical qualication, they cannot seek for an exemption from the regulations.. This does not restrict their right to practice anywhere outside India." "The regulations, especially additional mandate to satisfy the eligibility criteria, is not ultra vires the Constitution and neither is it in conict with any provisions of the Act (Indian Medical Council Act) nor arbitrary or unreasonable. Hence, all the petitions are dismissed," the bench said.

FMGE certificates of 3 medicos revoked

FMGE certificates of 3 medicos revoked 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.02.2025

Ahmedabad : The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has ordered the revocation of foreign medical graduate exam (FMGE) certificates of eight medical students for submitting false information. The students include three from Gujarat (two from Anand and one from Ahmedabad), two from Karnataka, and one each from Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. All of them graduated from LLC Caucasus International University in Georgia. 

The board has directed state medical councils to immediately cancel these candidates’ practice registrations. According to the Jan 27 order, these candidates appeared for FMGE in Dec 2022 or June 2023 and provided fraudulent provisional documentation of their medical courses. The FMGE eligibility requires completion of a six-year medical programme, including an internship from Semesters 6 to 12.

Investigation revealed discrepancies between the subjects listed in their provisional documentation and the actual sixth-year curriculum. Sources said these candidates submitted provisional certificates without completing their mandatory internships. The NBEMS is expected to investigate similar cases where foreign medical students may have submitted provisional certificates without fulfilling the internship requirement

Foreign MBBS graduates challenge extended internship rule in HC

Foreign MBBS graduates challenge extended internship rule in HC

22.01.2025

Bhopal/Jabalpur : A division bench of the MP High Court has issued notices to respondents in response to a petition filed by a group of MBBS pass-outs from China. They challenged the state govt's decision to extend the period of internship for students who completed their MBBS from foreign universities to three years instead of two. The principal secretary of medical education, director of medical education, National Medical Education Council, and MP Medical Council are respondents to the petition. 

The petition, filed by eight MBBS passouts, stated that they completed their MBBS in China. During the Covid pandemic, they studied online, which was also true for students pursuing MBBS from Indian universities. According to the rules, the internship period for MBBS pass-outs from Indian universities is one year, and for those from foreign universities, it is two years. However, the MP Medical Council, by an order issued on Nov 4, 2024, extended the internship period for MBBS pass-outs from foreign universities to three years. In Nov 2023, they were informed that the internship period would be two years, and as such, their internship would have ended in Mar 2025. They contended that introducing a new rule with retrospective effect was illegal. Following initial arguments, the bench of Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice Anuradha Shukla issued notices to the respondents seeking a response. Senior Counsel Arvind Sanghi appeared in the case for the petitioners. TNN 

MBBS student challenges exam failure in HC 

Bhopal/Jabalpur : A division bench of the MP High Court has issued notices to respondents in a petition filed by an MBBS student at Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur. The student is challenging the decision of MP Medical University, Jabalpur, to fail him in the MBBS first-year exam despite attaining 40 per cent marks. The petitioner, Shoaib Khan from Barwani, stated that he was suffering from a serious illness and has failed the MBBS first-year exam three times already. Failure on the fourth occasion would result in his expulsion from the medical college. TNN

Visa firm sends 2 to Philippines for dud MBBS degree

Visa firm sends 2 to Philippines for dud MBBS degree 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 01.01.2025

Ahmedabad : A Viratnagar businessman, aged 50, was allegedly defrauded of Rs 27.18 lakh by four individuals from a visa consultancy firm who allegedly arranged for his son and nephew to study MBBS in the Philippines despite the degree not being recognised for practice in India. The victim on Monday filed a complaint with Nikol police against owners of the firm and three others, alleging forgery and breach of trust. In 2022, the businessman had sought admission for his son and nephew at Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan City, Philippines, and approached a local visa consultancy where he met the managers. The management team, including a woman, presented a fee structure for the MBBS course in Manila, Philippines, quoting Rs 17.50 lakh for each student, with additional charges for accommodation, food, visa extensions and miscellaneous expenses. After agreeing to send both students, the family received offer letters confirming admission. Before the students’ departure, the consultancy collected Rs 9.5 lakh as course fees. In Feb 2023, after the programme commenced, the students discovered that the MBBS qualification from the Philippines was not valid in India due to licensing restric tions. The family later learned that whilst they were told the course would last five and ahalf years, the college indicated a sevenyear duration. 

Despite raising concerns, the consultant allegedly continued making false promises and provided written confirmation that the Dagupan City Lyceum Northwestern University certificate would be recognised in India. Upon consulting the Indian Embassy, the family confirmed that Philippines-issued practice licences were invalid in India. When the family requested the students’ return due to the course’s non-recognition in India, the consultant informed them that college fees were non-refundable. A complaint was filed on Monday

Philippine Medical Act amendment bill brings hope to Indian medical students

Philippine Medical Act amendment bill brings hope to Indian medical students

As per NMC, BS and MD programs are two separate degrees and thus cannot be equated to the MBBS course in India.

Ayushi Gupta | Posted December 23, 2024 02:00 PM

The amendment bill for the Philippine Medical Act, 1959 was recently passed in the lower house – House of Representatives in the Philippines – with a majority of vote counts (184-3-0) and now awaits clearance at the upper house – Senate – mandatory for a bill to become an act. The amendment bill allows foreign nationals to practice locally under the condition of 'reciprocity' or by qualifying Physicians Licensure Examination (PLE). This has brought hope to several Indian medical students in the Philippines, as this will allow them to return to India as practicing doctors after passing the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE). However, students will have to wait for the National Medical Commission (NMC) to respond officially to the change.

The amendment bill will be presented in the upper house in January 2025. Indian medical aspirants planning to move to the Philippines for affordable medical education are keeping their fingers crossed. This also depends on the NMC, which will make the final decision after the bill is cleared in the Congress of the Philippines.

Curriculum parity

NMC has clarified that BS and MD courses are two separate degrees in the Philippines, which cannot be equated to the MBBS course in India. Dr B Srinivas, secretary, NMC, says, "India will examine the medical curriculum and duration of the programme. We will assess whether the curriculum follows the same quality parameters as the Indian medical system. Only if there is parity in the MBBS curriculum between the two countries, the facilitation measures to enable the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) to appear for FMGE will be considered.”

Stranded careers

On November 18, 2021, the NMC introduced the FMGL Regulations, 2021. The regulations outlined the requirements for FMGs seeking to practice in India. Following this, on December 8, 2021, the Embassy of India in Manila issued an advisory for Indian students studying medicine in the Philippines, which highlighted that only students who were admitted for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) course in the Philippines before November 18 , 2021, would be considered eligible for registration to practice medicine in India after passing FMGE.

In 2022, a writ petition was filed in the Delhi High Court challenging the FMGL Regulations, 2021, by a student studying in the Philippines. The petition sought an exemption for the student (petitioner) affected by the new regulations. It argued, “The petitioner is an undergraduate Bachelor of Science (BS)-MD student in the Philippines. (The BS-MD course in the Philippines is a 4.5 to 5-year program combining a BS degree with an MD degree.) After completing the BS Biology course during the academic year 2020-21, the petitioner was enrolled in the MD program at the same university. The FMGL Regulations, 2021, have adversely impacted the petitioner's career, along with those of many other Indian students admitted during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years."

The advisory issued by the Embassy of India further clarified that the NMC has now formally confirmed that the bridging BS course (equivalent to pre-med in the USA) of 1.5-2 years before the MD course will not be included in calculating the total duration of the medical course.

A second-year MD student from Maharashtra studying at Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila, Philippines says, “There are around 500 Indian students in my university alone, and some larger universities have thousands of Indian students pursuing medical courses. If Congress of the Philippines enacts this amendment into law, it will significantly benefit the students. However, the future of medical graduates in India depends on the NMC's decision—whether we will be allowed to take the FMGE/NExT exam and practice medicine in India. We sincerely hope that the NMC grants a one-time exemption for students who enrolled in BS Biology or similar pre-medical courses as a pathway to the MD program before November 18, 2021.”

The overall pass percentage of students from the Philippines appearing in FMGE has been relatively better than in other countries. In the FMGE June 2024 session, a significant number of high scorers were from medical colleges in the Philippines.

Ayyalraj Nitish Babu, a medical student from Tamil Nadu studying at Davao Medical School Foundation, Philippines says, “The medical education system of the Philippines follows the American pattern. All exams are based on multiple-choice questions (MCQs), with an average passing grade of 75%. Final grades are calculated by combining scores from lab exams, attendance, minor exams, and major exams. This approach ensures that students must study consistently throughout the semester and cannot rely solely on last-minute preparation for final exams. This rigorous system makes it particularly beneficial for students aspiring to take international exams such as the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB).”

NMC warns students eyeing pvt medical colleges abroad

NMC warns students eyeing pvt medical colleges abroad

DurgeshNandan.Jha@timesofindia.com 02.12.2024

New Delhi : National Medical Commission (NMC) has warned aspiring students against choosing to study in private medical colleges abroad that do not adhere to regulations laid down by it. In 2021, NMC published Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiates (FMGL) Regulations. It states that no foreign medical graduate shall be granted registration to practice in India unless she or he has undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with a minimum duration of 54 months and an internship for a minimum duration of 12 months in the same foreign medical institution.

The NMC regulation also stated that the entire course, training and internship or clerkship, shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than the country from where the primary medical qualification is obtained. As Indian students continued to seek admission in noncomplying colleges abroad, NMC has issued another warning. “Any variation in duration, medium of instructions, syllabus, clinical training or internship may lead to disqualification in grant of registration in India,” the NMC said.

Indian students in Nepal get licence to practice

Indian students in Nepal get licence to practice 

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesofindia.com 19.11.2024

After several weeks of tussle, the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) issued an official notification declaring that all international medical students in the country are now eligible to obtain a licence to practice in local hospitals. The announcement comes as welcome news to Indian students planning to pursue medical education in Nepal. 

In April 2023, the NMC had scrapped the licence to practice in Nepal for international students after the completion of MBBS course in the medical colleges. Following this, several Indian medical students had decided against studying in Nepalese medical colleges due to the lack of compliance with India’s Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021. With the recent NMC notification, students are relieved and are moving forward with their admissions.

The deadline to submit the course fees and complete the admission process is November 14, 2024. The official notification states, “The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) recognizes undergraduate degrees, including MBBS/BDS and equ ivalent courses with a minimum academic duration of 5.5 years, which includes a mandatory one-year internship. All foreign nationals are eligible to take the licensing examinations according to NMC Regulations. Upon passing the licensing examinations, foreign candidates can obtain a license equivalent to that of Nepalese citizens. This licensing procedure does not require a good standing certificate from the candidate’s home country council.” The notice also mentioned that NMC grants provisional registration to all MBBS/BDS students in Nepal during their internship period. 

According to NMC internship guidelines, students must complete their internship in hospitals affiliated to their respective medical colleges. This provisional registration is at par with that of Nepalese citizens, allowing both Nepali and international students equal opportunities to practise medicine. The Global Medical Society (GMS), an association representing Indian MBBS students in Nepal, expressed appreciation for the recent NMC notice, which has provided reassurance to students from previous MBBS and BDS batches in Nepal.

Students must have adequate information on med practice regulations in Georgia

Students must have adequate information on med practice regulations in Georgia

Several aspirants are being misguided as consultants withhold crucial Georgian government rules on the independent practice licence, which is granted after nine years of education in the country

Byline: Ayushi.Gupta1 @timesofindia.com 16.09.2024 

Medical students aspiring to study in Georgia must acquire complete information on the ground rules related to practising as a doctor after completion of the medical course. NMC has been continuously discouraging students from getting medical education abroad citing the substandard education quality.

However, several study-abroad agents/counsellors have been taking advantage of gullible students and their parents. They often withhold crucial information regarding the rules, regulations, and laws of foreign countries. These agents provide incomplete information, promising medical education that meets NMC guidelines in India, which may not always be accurate or reliable.

Innocent students and parents often realise the deceit only after they land in a foreign country and face difficulty in practising as independent doctors. 

In Georgia, any student completing Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a year-long internship is allowed to work as a junior doctor assisting a senior doctor. Most of them do not fulfil the criteria to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) and struggle to get a medical licence to practice in India. Sarvan Maharishi (24), Hyderabad, who wanted to study in a foreign medical college, told Education Times how he was misled into applying to a medical college in Georgia by an agent, where he paid a fee of Rs 2 lakh to the agency. Sarvan says, "I visited an education service agency in Hyderabad to get admission into a medical college in Georgia. I was unaware of Georgia's medical practice laws, which made it easy for them to deceive me." He was saved as he learnt about the regulations on the internet.

Knowing the Georgian law:

According to Georgian legislation, to take the postgraduate residency course and obtain the right to independent medical practice, one must pass the Unified State Certification Exam (Article 17, Law of Georgia on Medical Practice).

Santosh Biradar, a practising advocate from Hyderabad has been trying to create awareness about foreign medical education.

He said, "Medical colleges in Georgia provide a license for 'independent practice' only after a total of 9 years of education in the country. Agents claim that after completing a 5-year MBBS course (known as MD in Georgia) and an additional year of internship, the student would receive a license to practice. However, they withhold information on the independent practice licence, which is granted only after completing three years of residency and passing the National Post-Diploma Qualification Exam (NPDQE), in addition to the 5 years of MBBS and one year of internship."

Furthermore, it is concerning that the NMC does not recognise the junior doctor license provided in Georgia. On August 9, 2024, the Georgian Embassy in India notified Indian students about recent amendments made by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Youth of Georgia regarding the medical education system.

The notice stated, "According to Article 14 of the Law of Georgia on Medical Practice, graduates of the MD program (equivalent to MBBS in India), known as junior doctors, are authorised to perform the duties of a doctor. This is fully equivalent to an MBBS qualification in India. A junior doctor performs clinical duties under the guidance of a certified specialist. If a certified doctor is not available, a junior doctor can provide emergency medical care independently."

A senior official at the NMC, speaking on condition of anonymity, says, "NMC has been trying to train doctors through internship programmes and practical training. We want students to consider reappearing for the NEET UG and focusing on performing better in the entrance exam, rather than opting for foreign medical colleges where many countries do not follow NMC norms. 

These foreign graduates often lack the practical skills needed to treat patients independently and fail to meet the licensing requirements mandated by the NMC."

"For obtaining a licence to practise medicine in Armenia and Georgia, post-graduation in a specialised field is mandatory. Duration of postgraduation varies according to the specialisation course which may range from one to four years," reads an RTI response from the Embassy of India, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia, also holding Georgia in its jurisdiction.

MBBS : Supreme Court Issues Notice On Foreign Medical Graduates' Plea Seeking Payment Of Stipend

MBBS : Supreme Court Issues Notice On Foreign Medical Graduates' Plea Seeking Payment Of Stipend

Gyanvi Khanna

23 Jan 2024 2:30 PM

In a writ petition filed by the foreign medical graduates (FMGs) challenging non-payment of stipend to them, the Supreme Court issued notice today (on January 23).

The plea filed by the students, who are currently undergoing internship at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Vidisha, was placed before Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

The petition is tagged with Abhishek Yadav & Ors. vs. Army Medical College & Ors. (W.P. (C) No. 730/2022). This case pertains to a plea in which 70 percent of medical colleges do not pay any stipend or are not paying the minimum set stipend to doctors doing MBBS internships. Therein, the Court directed the Army College of Medical Sciences to pay a stipend (of Rs. 25000) to the interns doing their compulsory one-year internship.

Contents Of The Instant Petition

At the outset, the petition has placed its reliance upon circulars dated 4th March 2022 and 19th May 2022 issued by the NMC. The petitioner states that as per this circular, the stipend to the FMGs should be extended equivalent to Indian Medical Graduates

The plea goes on to state that a notice was issued by the Government Medical Education Department, Madhya Pradesh, to the Commissioner of Medical Education, Bhopal, which inter alia provided that a stipend of Rs. 12760/- should be paid to the interns with effect from 01.04.2022.

Pertinently, the internship of the Petitioners commenced on 01.04.2023. The batch comprising 69 students was paid a stipend of only Rs. 12760/-for two months. However, after two months, the students have not been paid a stipend since June 2023.

“The students raised several grievances before different authorities, however, till date the same is not addressed.,” the petitioners added.

It is also contended that the above act of not paying the stipend is unjust, arbitrary, and non-justifiable as, among others, it creates an artificial divide between the students from other colleges who are getting stipends.

“In other States including Assam, the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) are getting stipend. It is a case of severe harassment if the FMGs are not paid stipend for the duty rendered by them. The same is also violative of the natural justice principles as it severely. sacrifices the basic rights of the FMGs.”

Moving forward, the plea also strengthens from Abhishek Yadav & Ors. vs. Army Medical College & Ors. One may note that, in this matter, the Supreme Court expressed grave concerns regarding the non-payment of stipends to MBBS interns, likening the situation to "bonded labor."

“Since this Hon'ble Court has taken cognizance of the situation in a similar writ petition filed in the case of Abhishek Yadav (supra) and it is recorded in order dated 15.09.2023 that 70% of the other medical colleges are also not paying stipend, the Petitioners are filing the present writ petition to bring to the kind notice of this Hon'ble Court such similar instances. That the Petitioners are, inter alia seeking issuance of a writ of Mandamus, or any appropriate writ, order or direction to the Respondents…,” the plea states

In view of this, inter-alia, a direction is sought against the respondent to provide a regular monthly stipend to the Petitioners and certain other students for the entire period of their internship (which commenced on 01.04.2023).

Advocate-on-Record Charu Mathur and advocate Tanvi Dubey represent the petitioners.

Case Title: SAJITH S L vs. ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE, VIDISHA., Diary No.- 53064 - 2023

FMGE Fake Registration Scam. CBI finds 20 fake FMGE certificates from Assam Medical Council. Two from Haryana and Maharashtra Medical Council.

FMGE Fake Registration Scam. CBI finds 20 fake FMGE certificates from Assam Medical Council. Two from Haryana and Maharashtra Medical Council.

31.12.2022

Medical Dialogues

A day after day CBI conducted a search operation at 91 locations across the country in connection with allegations of irregularities in the registration of fmg graduates with State Medical councils who were allowed to practice in India without qualifying for a mandatory test the agency has found 28 more graduates who had obtained fake certificates from various State Medical Council.

Of the same 20 graduates have been caught in Assam 2 in Maharashtra and 6 in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

While conductin g the search in Assam, the CBA have discovered several incriminating documents including fack certificates of the FMGE from the houses of the 20 graduates having an Assam Medical Council seal. Similarly 2 Medicos were caught from Maharashtra.

Six doctors from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have also come under this scanner for allegedly possessing fack foreign medical graduate examination documents.

This comes after the agency registered an FIR against 14 State medical councils and 73 foreign medical graduates who were allowed to practice medicine in India without qualifying for the mandatory FM GE. The CBI has conducted searches at around 91 locations including Delhi Chandigarh Amritsar Gurdaspur Bhatinda Khanna Karnal Sawai Madhopur Narwana Hamirpur Shimla Jammu, Srinagar Dehradun Ghaziabad Guwahati Tezpur Imphal Sikkim Rajpur Patna Munger Mumbai Jaipur Sikar Vijayawada Warangal Tirunelveli Madurai Bhopal Nagpur Buldana Pine Jalgaon Dharbhanga Champaran Begusarai Bokaro Vizag Hajipur Vaishali Nalanda etc at the premises of certain medical councils as well as foreign medical graduates which led to the recovery of several incriminating documents including fack past certificates of FMG examination CBI stated.

Following the raids 20 facts certificates carrying the seal of Assam Medical Council were recovered while two such certificate were carrying the seal of Haryana Medical Council and the Maharashtra Medical Council respectively.

According to norms a FMG qualify must qualify test conducted by the national board of examination in order to get provisional or permanent registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council to practice medicine in India.

The sources send NBE sends it's result to candidates as well as councils.

The National Board of Examination had intimated The Ministry of Health that 73 such medical graduates who did their MBBS from foreign countries such as Russia Ukraine China and Nigeria during 2011-12 have not qualified its examination and yet got registration from various State Medical councils.

When fake eligibility certificates were produced by these candidates Medical Council could have verified it from the results directly sent to them by NBE

they said

On the other hand the agent has found two more doctors in Vidarbha 1 each in Nagpur and Buldana while conducting their search in Maharashtra both doctors are reported to have procured fack registration certificate from Maharashtra and Haryana Medical Council respectively.

During the investigation the agency found that the doctor from Nagpur failed in FMGE test conducted in India after completing its MD physician course from Kuban State Medical University Russia in 2020 The Live Nagpur reports.

The information was revealed after CBI raided their house as part of the investigation. However in the case of the doctor from Buldhana the failed FMGE after completing his medical course at the Jilin University of China in 2015.

Although many cases have been brought to light so far more are expected to emerge in the future

CBI finds two foreign doctors in Nagpur, Buldana with fake registration

December 30, 2022

CBI finds two foreign doctors in Nagpur, Buldana with fake registration

written by Ajay Mardikar December 30.12.2022

 The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted raids at 91 locations in India to find out irregularities in registration of medical graduates returning from foreign countries and starting practice without following proper procedure. The issue probably cropped up following the Russia-Ukraine war. A large number of medical students returned from there.

The CBI suspected fake  certificates for these unqualified doctors and raided regional offices of the Medical Council of India. Two of the fake doctors were found in Vidarbha, one each in Nagpur and Buldana, The CBI sleuths found several incriminating documents from these Foreign Medical Graduates (?), including fake Pass Certificates.

The CBI raided the house of Dr Chetan Chaitpure in Nagpur and Dr Vinayak Magar in Mehkar, Buldana in this connection. Chetan finished MD Physician course from Kuban State Medical University, Russia in 2020, but failed in FMGE test conducted in India. He procured a fake registration certificate from Haryana Medical Council. Vinayak did MBBS from the Jilin University of China in 2015m but failed in FMGE, He procured a fake registration certificate from Maharashtra Medical Council.

With CBI carrying out search for fake registration, more such cases are expected to come out in the near future.

Foreign medical graduates in Tamil Nadu to receive Rs 25,000 stipend during CRRI, says GO

Foreign medical graduates in Tamil Nadu to receive Rs 25,000 stipend during CRRI, says GO

Financial concerns of the government prevented the state from waving off the joining fee of Rs 2 lakh

Mrittika Banerjee

Edex Live

Pic: EdexLive

Here’s some good news for the foreign medical graduates in Tamil Nadu waiting to complete their Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) as the state government has released the order on November 22, 2022, for the fee waiver. The state government complied with the demands put forth by the FMGs. The order dated November 22, stated that, “...all the Foreign Medical Graduates/Indian Medical graduates pursuing Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship shall be paid with the stipend at the rate of Rs 25,270/- per month during the year 2022-2023. There will be an automatic 3% annual increase in subsequent years for Foreign Medical Graduates similar to the regular Compulsory Medical Rotatory Internships.” Since two lakh joining fees couldn’t be waived off by the government, the notice also stated, “If the aspiring Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship trainee is not able to pay…Rs 2,00,00 upfront…charges shall be deducted from their stipend in 12 instalments…”

In a meeting held on November 21 with the FMGs; Dr Senthil Kumar, Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Medical Students’ Association (TNMSA) and Tamil Nadu's Principal Secretary of Health & Family Welfare, P Senthil Kumar IAS, the state government had promised that the government order would be published within the week following several protests. The state government adhered to its assurance and met most of the demands made by the FMGs.

Demand fulfilled

The university fees have been reduced to Rs 29,000 which previously used to be Rs 3.54 lakh. Earlier, there was no stipend but now, a stipend of Rs 25,750 will be given to the FMGs doing their CRRI. The joining fee of Rs 2 lakh has not been waived off by the government owing to genuine financial reasons.

Dr Senthil Kumar said, “They could not get approval for the fees of Rs 2 lakh for genuine financial reasons and for medical graduates who will be unable to pay the fees, Rs 18,000 from the monthly stipend of Rs 27,750 will be deducted for 12 months.” This means that FMGs who cannot pay Rs 2 lakh as fees will receive Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 as their monthly stipend. Dr Kumar also added, “Even though all our demands were not met, we are still satisfied with the government’s order.”

Let’s refresh

In order to finish their CRRI at government medical institutes, FMGs had to pay Rs 2 lakh in fees for a no-objection certificate. The National Medical Commission, however, published guidelines for the registration of Foreign Medical Graduates on March 4, 2022, making it clear that they cannot be charged for their CRRI training and that they will also receive the same stipend and other benefits as Indian medical graduates. The decision helped the FMGs since it reduced the load on those FMGs who did not receive compensation for their labour. The Tamil Nadu government announced a 90% deduction in the fees in response to the notice issued by the NMC, however, until now, the state government did not issue any official order.

Ukraine returned medical students: Working on court’s suggestions, Centre to Supreme Court

Ukraine returned medical students: Working on court’s suggestions, Centre to Supreme Court

SC had suggested that a web portal should specify complete details of the fees and the number of seats available in alternative foreign universities

Updated At: Sep 23, 2022 04:12 PM (IST)

PTI

New Delhi, September 23

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that they are working on the suggestions given by the court to assist medical students who have returned to India from Ukraine in view of the war with Russia.

The apex court had on September 16 suggested that the Centre assist these medical students by creating a web portal giving details of the foreign universities, where they could complete their courses as per the government's academic mobility programme.

The counsel appearing for the Centre told the top court on Friday that they have written to the secretaries of the ministries of external affairs as well as health on the issue.

“In terms of the last order, we have written to the secretaries of MEA (ministry of external affairs) as well as Health. Our instruction is that they are on it,” the counsel told a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia.

The counsel further said that in the last hearing, the apex court had indicated that a website can be made where information can be put so that there is clarity.

“We are on it," the lawyer said, adding, “It is taken up with utmost priority.” The top court posted the matter for hearing on October 11.

When one of the advocates said that final-year medical students can be permitted to take online education, the bench observed, "We are not saying anything. We will pass a comprehensive order".

At the outset, one of the advocates, appearing for some of the students, said several states have written to the Centre on the issue.

Arguing that around 13,000 medical students are affected, the lawyer said the Centre and the National Medical Commission should talk to these states.

On September 16, the apex court said there should be a transparent system and the web portal should specify complete details of the fees and the number of seats available in alternative foreign universities from where these students could complete their courses.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had sought time to get instruction from the government on the suggestions of the bench.

The top court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by students, who are undergraduate medical students of first to fourth-year batches in their respective foreign medical colleges/universities.

These students are primarily seeking transfer to medical colleges in India in their respective semesters.The Centre, in its affidavit filed last week in the matter, had said they (students) cannot be accommodated in medical colleges here for lack of provisions under the law and till now, no permission has been given by the National Medical Commission (NMC) to transfer or accommodate any foreign medical students in any Indian medical institute/University.

It, however, had said that to aid and assist such returnee students who could not complete their MBBS courses in Ukraine, NMC in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs has issued a public notice dated September 6, 2022 (academic mobility programme), indicating that NMC would accept completion of their remaining courses in other countries (with the approval of parent university/Institution in Ukraine).

The government had said that after such completion of their remaining courses, the certificate, of course, completion/degree is expected to be issued by the parent institutions in Ukraine.

SC to govt: Create portal with admission info to help Ukraine students

SC to govt: Create portal with admission info to help Ukraine students

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com New Delhi 

As the Centre agreed to facilitate Ukrainereturned medical students to resume and complete their course from medical colleges of other countries which are recognised by Ukrainian universities, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the government to a create a portal and provide all information on seats available and procedure to take admission there to complete the remaining part of their course. Appearing before a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia, solicitor general Tushar Mehta submitted that it was not possible to admit the students in medical schools here but they can pursue their course from other countries and the government had talked with concerned authorities from Ukraine and other countries and the students would be able to complete their courses there and get their degrees.

Mehta said that as per the government’s academic mobility programme, these students can pursue the education from 29 countries including Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Belgium, Georgia, Kazakhstan as their medical education was compatible with Ukraine university. He said that studentswould be allowed to pursue their education there during the conflict. The bench then said that it would be better if the government provided all the information regarding its academic mobility programme to the students by creating a portal as there are around 20,000 affected students.

The court said that it would make the process transparent and students could apply for admission as per their choice. It asked the solicitor general to talk to the concerned authority and brief the court on September 23. The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by affected students pleading the court to intervene to protect their interest as they could not go back to the war-torn country to complete the course.

The Centre, however, clearly told the court 20,000 students could not be accommodated in the country.

UKRAINE RETURNEE MEDICOS

 

Can’t give MBBS students from Ukraine seats in India: Govt

 Can’t give MBBS students from Ukraine seats in India: Govt 

TNN | Sep 16, 2022, 02.29 AM IST 

 NEW DELHI: The Union government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that Indian students pursuing MBBS in Ukraine whose studies were disrupted because of war and subsequent evacuation would not be admitted to medical colleges in India as that would amount to giving ‘backdoor entry’ to less meritorious students.

It carved out an exception for final-year MBBS students and said, “Indian students who were in the last year of their undergraduate medicine courses and had to leave their foreign medical institutions due to Covid-19 or the Russia-Ukraine conflict and subsequently completed their studies to get completion certificate from their respective institutions on or before June 30 have been permitted to appear in Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).”

It said on clearing FMGE, the students would have to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship for a period of two years in India to make up for the clinical training that they could not attend during the undergraduate medicine course in foreign institutes as also to familiarise themselves with the practice of medicine under Indian conditions.

A bench led by Justice Hemant Gupta, on request from counsel Swati Ghildiyal, agreed to postpone hearing in the matter by a day to Friday. Congratulations! 9/16/22, 7:13 AM Can’t give MBBS students from Ukraine seats in India: Govt - Times of India

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cant-give-mbbs-students-from-ukraine-seats-in-india-govt/articleshowprint/94232809.cms 2/3 You have successfully cast your vote Login to view result Refuting the petitioners’ allegation that candidates with ‘zero’ score in NEET-UG have got admission to private medical colleges, the Centre said that only those who had scored more than 50 percentile marks in NEET, conducted since 2018, were eligible for admission in Indian medical institutions. It said that these students had gone to foreign countries because of their poor NEET scores and the affordability of education in those countries.

Admitting these students would “seriously hamper the standards of medical education”, it said. “In case these students with poor merit are allowed admission in premier medical colleges by default, there may be litigation from those desirous students who could not get admission because of poor NEET scores,” it added.

Ukraine univs ask students seeking transfer to return for their documents

Ukraine univs ask students seeking transfer to return for their documents

Some Universities Unwilling To Allow A Transfer Say ‘Return To Class’

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai : The impasse for medical students who returned from Ukraine seems unending. While Indian authorities have permitted them temporary academic mobility to med schools anywhere around the world, their primary university in the host country is refusing to part with original certificates and papers unless some conditions are met — they have asked candidates to come back to war-torn Ukraine to complete formalities for collection of documents.

Several Ukrainian university deans have intimated students that unless they return books borrowed from the library and hand over hostel linen, their original documents will not be released. Most students contend that they left everything behind in their hostels while evacuating in February. Universities in the western region, like Uzhhorod National Medical University and Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University are, in fact, asking students to return to class on the campus, stating that it is all safe there. They are refusing to even allow a transfer. Urvisha Lalwani, who enrolled at Zaporizhia State Medical University, has now hired a local Ukrainian agent to ferry her documents to the Poland border from where they will be shipped to India.

“It is so stressful. Despite nominating the agent to act on my behalf, the university has not released my documents. Without the transcripts, I cannot take admission in any other university,” she said. Like her, many have hired local agents and paid them $500-$800 to get the work done. Umesh Gurjar, who counsels students keen to pursue medicine abroad, said the process of getting documents back is lengthy and may come in the way of re-admissions because most European medical schools began their academic year on September 1.

“The Indian consulate must take this matter up and get the documents back for students,” said Gurjar. On September 5, the National Medical Commission had permitted Indian medical students studying in Ukraine to transfer to any other university in the world. This would have come as muchneeded relief to around 18,000 students whose careers have been in limbo ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. The NMC notification said it agreed to a “temporary” relocation to other universities around the globe. “The academic mobility programme is a temporary relocation to other universities in different countries globally. However, the degree will be awarded by the parent Ukrainian university,” said the notification. TOIhad reported in March thatmedical schools from across the world had reached out to foreign medical aspirants who were in Ukraine as well as counsellors based in India and offered them admissions on their campuses.

At no additional cost and without an entrance exam, these candidates were promised seats in medical schools. Assistance for transfer had come from institutes in Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus and Poland. Ukrainian universities had started online lectures, but with no end in sight to the war, students needed to move to institutes where practical sessions are held. But it seems the NMC notification has come a bit late in the day.

Getting documents from institutes like the National University of Kharkiv is proving to be almost impossible. “There is no water or power. All documents like the original class XII marks cards, credit logs, etc are in buildings that have no power. Once electricity is 9/15/22, 7:06 AM about:blank about:blank 2/2 restored, they will transfer the documents to the other university where the student will take admission. But all this is going to take time,” said consultant Madhukant Kaushik.

FMG EXAMINATION DECEMBER 2022

 

Transfer to another varsity remains only option for Medical students from Ukraine

Transfer to another varsity remains only option for Medical students from Ukraine

Astha.Hemant@timesgroup.com

The National Medical Council (NMC) has refused to recognise the ‘mobility programme’ being offered by Ukraine to Indian medical students, under which students could opt to study at another university for a few semesters. Apart from its refusal, NMC has also specified that there is no provision for these students to be accommodated in Indian universities. Also, NMC will not recognise online classes as a medium of imparting instruction to Medical students. There is no way for the NMC to guarantee authenticity of quality of education offered under the mobility programme, which may have led to the decision. Thus, taking a transfer to any other foreign medical university remains the only option for eligible students as of now.

No authenticity yet A senior official from the Ministry of Health, Government of India, on the condition of anonymity, says, “In India, the NMC visits and checks every new medical institute before it is approved. Despite this, we get complaints from students regarding quality of education being imparted at few colleges. The NMC is not aware of the kind of education that will be imparted under a provision such as the ‘mobility programme’, which may have led to its decision. ” While the government is sympathetic towards the unfortunate situation of medical students in Ukraine, it is not possible for NMC to compromise on the quality of medical professionals and the health of patients in the future.

“The same reason is also valid for not accepting an online mode of education for Medicine,” adds the official. Options for students While few private universities have offered Indian students the option of a mobility programme, some others have asked us to relocate to their campuses in other countries, says Smriti Sharma, fourth year student of Kyiv Medical University, Ukraine. “My university has opened a new campus in Poland, and I have taken admission for my next semester there. However, the situation remains uncertain for many as taking a transfer poses various issues,” she says. Taking a transfer generally means a higher fees structure, which many students cannot afford. “NMC has also specified that under Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, that came into effect in November 2021, students have to complete their education and internship from the same foreign university without any transfer.

Thus, students whose classes have started after November 18, 2021 are not eligible to take a transfer as well,” says Smriti. Further, students in their final year of education are hesitant to take a transfer. Shivani Choudhary, a medical student who has just received her degree from Uzzhorod National University, Ukraine, says, “In my University, most students in their fourth and fifth years have started proceedings to get a transfer. However, final year students have written to the NMC and are waiting for better clarity in the matter as they do not want to jeopardise their education. ” Since education over the last two years has been adversely affected, Shivani will also have to go through two compulsory years of internship before she can practice in India.