In a relief for students returning from war-torn Ukraine, the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Friday, 4 March, said that MBBS students, who have returned to the country without completing their mandatory 12-month internships, will be able to do so in India.
“There are some foreign medical graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situations, which is beyond their control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, war etc. Considering the agony and stress faced by these foreign medical graduates, their application to complete the remaining part of their internship in India is considered eligible," the circular said.
Who are eligible for getting internships in India? What are the fees and the required documents? Let's find out.
Circular by NCM.
(Source: NCM/Screenshot)
What is the current regulation?
The National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021 came into force in November last year and it mandated the medical graduates to complete a 12-month-long internship from the same institute where they started the course.
Who are eligible?
Students who have received a foreign medical degree or those who have joined their undergraduate medical education in foreign institutions prior to 18 November 2021 will be allowed to complete their internships in India.
Those who graduated prior to 18 November 2021 will be governed under the previous applicable regulations.
Students who returned to India due to the COVID-19 situation in countries like China or from war-torn countries like Ukraine will benefit from the new rules.
What are the required documents?
A medical qualification/degree must be registerable to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded.
Documentary evidence certifying successful completion of physical training or internship, if condcuted in a foreign institute.
Copy of passport with VISA and immigration details.
What are the other requirements?
Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) conducted by the National Board of Examination (NBE) should be cleared by the candidates to be eligible for internships in India.
Where can students undergo their internship?
Internship will be permissible in medical college hospital or hospital attached to medical colleges, permitted by the commission.
The maximum quota for allocation of internships to FMGs must be restricted to an additional 7.5 percent of the total permitted seats in a medical college.
What about the fees and stipend?
State Medical Councils should obtain an undertaking from the medical college that no amount/fee is charged by the medical college from the FMGs for permitting them to do their internship.
The stipend and other facilities to FMGs should be extended equivalent to Indian Medical Graduates being trained at Government Medical Colleges as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/university or state, the circular said.
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