NMC Scraps Foreign Medical Graduates’ Online Class Substitution Policy

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has revoked the policy allowing foreign medical graduates (FMGs) to substitute online classes with offline mode. The NMC declared that certificates validating the supplementation of online theory classes with offline practical and clinical training will no longer be accepted.

“It has been observed that many FMGs are maliciously obtaining compensatory certificates from their parent universities for the online classes carried by them. The medical profession deals with precious human life; therefore, the life of Indian citizens cannot be put at stake by poorly trained medical professionals,” the official statement read.

“The UGMEB has decided that henceforth, certificates regarding the compensation or supplementation of online theory subjects/classes with offline practical and clinical training shall not be accepted,” the commission added.

The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE 2024) is conducted for FMGs who hold an MBBS qualification from a foreign medical institute and seek provisional or permanent registration with the Medical Council of India (MCI) or any State Medical Council (SMC).

The results of the FMGE for December 2023 were released in February on the official website, natboard.edu.in. Out of 38,535 candidates who took the test, 30,046 failed, and 693 FMGs were marked absent.

The NMC has recently extended the mandatory internship for FMGs to two years, effective until May 2026. This decision came in response to numerous requests from students facing challenges in securing internship placements.

According to the latest notification, FMGs who have attended any portion of their classes online must pass the FMG Examination and complete a Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) lasting two to three years to be eligible to practice medicine in India.