This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1016, addressed on July 25, 2025, regarding Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Andhra Pradesh. The question raised concerns about Andhra Pradesh mandating a three-year course for FMGs, which deviates from internship durations and stipend policies in other states. The query also addressed the perceived unequal treatment, financial burdens, and professional hardships faced by FMGs due to this discrepancy.
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, clarified that the National Medical Commission (NMC) Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021, uniformly regulate the issuance of licenses and permanent registration for FMGs across India. Additionally, the NMC Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021, govern all aspects of compulsory rotating medical internships.
In response to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and warlike situations, the NMC issued public notices on December 7, 2023, and June 19, 2024, providing the following guidelines:
* FMGs with a break in their final year who completed their course (including examinations) online must undergo a one-year Clinical Clerkship (CC) in India, followed by a one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI).
* FMGs with a break in their penultimate year who completed their course (including examinations) online must undergo a two-year CC in India, followed by a one-year CRMI.
* FMGs who sufficiently compensated for online classes with physical, on-site classes and passed the medical course are eligible for permanent registration after a one-year CRMI.
The Ministry's response emphasizes the uniform application of NMC regulations across all states, addressing concerns about disparities in internship conditions for FMGs.
Key Entities Referenced
National Medical Commission: Regulatory body in India responsible for medical education and licensing of medical practitioners.
Foreign Medical Graduates: Individuals who have obtained their medical degrees from institutions outside of India.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India where Foreign Medical Graduates are allegedly facing disparities in internship conditions.
Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021: Regulations by the National Medical Commission governing the licensing and registration of Foreign Medical Graduates to practice medicine in India.
National Medical Commission Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021: Regulations by the National Medical Commission governing all aspects of compulsory rotating medical internship.
Clinical Clerkship: A period of clinical training required for certain Foreign Medical Graduates in India, due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and/or war-like situations
Compulsory Rotating Medical internship: A mandatory internship for medical graduates.
COVID19 pandemic: Global pandemic that caused disruptions in medical education, leading to special provisions for Foreign Medical Graduates.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.1016
TO BE ANSWERED ON25THJULY, 2025
FOREIGN MEDICALGRADUATESIN ANDHRAPRADESH
1016.SHRIMADDILAGURUMOORTHY:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware that Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Andhra
Pradesh are being mandated to undergo a three-year course, which is not in alignment with
the internship durationsandstipend policiesfollowed inotherStates;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for permitting such disparity in internship
conditionsfor FMGs across States,particularly inAndhra Pradesh;
(c) whether the Government acknowledges that this discrepancy creates unequal treatment of
qualified FMGs and leads to undue financial and professional hardship and if so, the details
thereof;
(d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure uniformity in internship duration for
FMGs across allStates incompliance with National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines;
and
(e) whether the Government proposes to intervene in the case of Andhra Pradesh in this
regardandif so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (e): The National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate)
Regulations, 2021 regulate the process of issuance of license or permanent registration to
practice in India in respect of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) and are uniformly
applicable to all the FMGs. Further, National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating
Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021 regulate all aspects of compulsory rotating medical
internship.In view of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and/or war-like situations,
National Medical Commission vide Public Notice dated 07.12.2023 and 19.06.2024 issued
following guidelines/clarification:
FMGs who had a break in their final year, returned to India, and completed their
FMG course, including the examination, through online mode are required to
undergo one year of Clinical Clerkship(CC) in India. After completion of CC, they
may begin the Compulsory Rotating Medical internship(CRMI) for one year at a
medicalcollege or anyotherrecognizedinstitution
FMGs who had a break in their penultimate year, returned to India, and completed
their course including examinations through online mode must undergo two years of
CC in India. After successful completion of CC they may begin the CRMI for one
yearat a medical collegeor anyotherrecognizedinstitution.
FMGs who have sufficiently compensated classes in physical onsite in lieu of the
online classes and passes medical course are eligible for permanent registration after
one yearCRMI.
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