NMC'S REGULATORY AMBIGUITY PUTS FOREIGN MBBS ASPIRANTS AT RISK AS CONSULTANTS FACE ALLEGATIONS OF MISLEADING STUDENTS

October 31, 2026

The National Medical Commission (NMC), India's medical education regulatory authority, has come under scrutiny following concerns over its unclear responses regarding the eligibility of foreign medical graduates to practise medicine in India. The controversy particularly concerns Indian students pursuing six-year medical programmes in Georgia and whether their qualifications will make them eligible to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).

The issue emerged after two aspiring doctors submitted similar queries through the PM Grievance Portal seeking clarification on the validity of a medical degree obtained in Georgia. In its first response, dated September 24, the NMC reiterated the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021, stating that graduates must obtain an independent licence to practise medicine in the country where they earned their degree. However, in a subsequent response dated October 13, the Commission stated that the provisions concerning the independent licensing requirement were being examined by the competent authority and an expert committee. This difference in communication has generated uncertainty among students and their families.

Legal experts have alleged that certain overseas education consultants, reportedly receiving substantial commissions from foreign medical institutions, are exploiting the regulatory ambiguity to encourage Indian students to enrol in programmes whose eligibility for medical practice in India remains questionable. They have particularly raised concerns about claims that Georgia's junior doctor status satisfies the independent licensing requirement. Under Georgia's medical practice framework, junior doctors may perform medical duties under the supervision and responsibility of independently authorised practitioners, a position that legal experts distinguish from holding an independent licence to practise medicine.

Lawyers specialising in medical education have warned that misleading admission assurances could expose students to considerable financial losses and jeopardise their professional careers. They have also emphasised that the NMC's regulatory requirements cannot simply be bypassed through informal interpretations or assurances from private consultants. The matter has prompted calls for the Union Health Ministry and the NMC to issue an unambiguous clarification and publish an authoritative list of countries and foreign medical institutions whose qualifications satisfy India's eligibility requirements. The controversy has consequently renewed concerns about transparency, regulatory accountability and the protection of thousands of Indian students seeking medical education abroad.