NEW DELHI: In a major relief for Indian students who started their medical education abroad before 2021, the National Medical Commission has clarified that those admitted to or studying a BS (pre-medical) course in foreign medical institutes prior to November 18, 2021 will be governed by the older Screening Test Regulations, 2002, and not the stricter Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations (FMGL), 2021.This means such students can qualify to practise in India by clearing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE)—the screening test followed before 2021—after completing their medical degree abroad. The route applies regardless of whether the BS course was pursued online or through physical classes, provided admission was taken before the 2021 regulations came into force.In its corrigendum dated December 30, 2025, the NMC, however, made it mandatory for these students to undergo one additional year of internship in India. The commission said the extra internship is necessary to ensure sufficient clinical exposure to Indian hospitals and alignment with national treatment and patient-care standards.The commission has underlined that this relaxation is a one-time exemption limited to this specific group of students.
