National Medical Commission removes foreign medical universities from list

According to the official NMC website, overseas medical colleges are not recommended for Indian students pursuing MBBS courses. The Medical Council of India provided a list of foreign medical institutions offering medical courses or equivalent courses based on information provided by Indian embassies. The National Medical Commission has discontinued the list of overseas medical colleges and students can no longer find a list of these colleges on its official website.

Replacement of the Medical Council of India

The replacement of the Medical Council of India (MCI) has been recommended by NITI Aayog. The decision to replace it has been approved by the Prime Minister and further endorsed by most states. The Supreme Court of India has given permission to the central government to replace the Medical Council of India. The medical regulator has been replaced by the National Medical Commission. In early 2019, the President of India issued an order replacing the MCI with the National Medical Commission. After approval by the Prime Minister of India, the bill was finally passed to Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, who passed the bill and on 8 August 2019, an Act retaining the National Medical Commission as a permanent regulatory body was passed by the Indian Parliament and was also assented to by the President of India.

National Medical Commission removes foreign medical universities from list

The Medical Council of India has provided a list of overseas medical colleges/medical institutes/universities where one can pursue MBBS or equivalent course based on the information provided by the Indian Embassy or Indian High Commission.

A notification issued in 2018 clarified that all Indian nationals/Indian expatriates who have obtained a medical degree from a medical institute abroad will have to pass a screening examination to get formal registration in India.

The National Medical Council has clarified that the Medical Institutions Regulatory Authority of India (NMC) has not approved a list of foreign medical institutes or universities for MBBS or equivalent course abroad.

Previously, FMGE i.e. FMGE was available for medical graduates. H. Foreign Medical Graduates Examination which is mandatory for working as a doctor in India. Students who have obtained a medical degree from an MCI recognized university could appear for the FMGE exam on their return to India.

The impact of the National Medical Commission on the delisting of foreign medical universities

Following the NMC announcement, students have been giving both negative and positive feedback. The Government of India is promoting overseas education for MBBS or equivalent courses for Indian medical students.

Let us discuss the implications of the National Medical Commission’s decision.

Benefits of choosing NMC for your student life:

The best thing about the NMC’s decision is that all universities will have the same qualifications. Whether a medical student joins Harvard or any other medical university abroad, it is the same for the NMC, the regulatory body for medical education in India.

There are many medical universities abroad that offer adequate infrastructure and better quality education, but as they are not registered with the MCI, students could not get admission there. However, now that the National Medical Commission has removed foreign medical universities from the list, students will be able to get admission in any university from now on.

Disadvantages of NMC decision on student life:

Intimidation – NMC decision will increase corruption in medical colleges. If students had any dispute with the university, they used to file complaints against the university with the Indian Embassy. Indian Embassy removes the university name from the MCI list. After all foreign medical universities are removed from the NMC list, Indian Embassy will not be able to track student complaints.

Bilingualism – Various countries abroad are providing bilingual education to Indian medical students. In countries like China, Russia, the curriculum is conducted in both English and local language. MCI’s official website lists 45 medical universities in China, while the remaining ones have been removed from the list simply because they are bilingual. The minds of students are being manipulated by many fraudsters and unauthorized agents in the country.

Gateway to Incompetent Universities – MCI’s admission criteria are proper infrastructure, sufficient number of admission seats and most importantly quality education. Earlier universities that could not meet MCI standards were not included in the list, but now many incompetent universities have started to feature in the list.

Objectives of the National Medical Commission

The National Medical Board lays down guidelines for the regulation of medical institutions and physicians.

The main objectives of the National Medical Board are to create a common entrance examination for medical graduates.

To ensure compliance with the laws adopted by the Regional Medical Councils on the basis of the Act.

To assess the manpower and facilities required for health and pharmaceutical care.

To develop guidelines for calculating medical remuneration up to 50% for private medical institutions.

The mission of the State Medical Board is to provide guidance on the new system for mid-level health care providers, including active duty nurses and pharmacists, who have limited authority to prescribe medicines.

Note for Overseas MBBS Students

Check fee details – NMC advises overseas MBBS students to verify the fee structure and all course details from the concerned university or institute. After the students verify the fee details and other admission requirements of the university or institute like NEET qualification, age criteria etc.

Check MCI list – From now on, students are not required to check the list of MCI recognized universities. Earlier, they had to check the list of Medical Council of India before enrolling in a foreign university/institute/college to pursue MBBS or equivalent course outside India.

Free choice – As NMC has removed the list of overseas universities/institutes/colleges from its official website. Students can choose a medical college abroad for MBBS. We at MBBS.Blog appeal to you to choose the best medical college abroad. However, do not blindly trust agents who advise you to get admission in colleges with low tuition fees.

English Speaking Countries – Always choose an English speaking country for your MBBS studies where the curriculum is taught in English. Foreign medical graduates on their return to India are required to take and pass the National Exit Exam, NExT. For graduates to get professional licensure in India, the exam must be completed in English.

Accreditation and Recognition – MBBS Foreign universities/colleges/institutions must be recognized by their respective countries. Universities must be accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). If you want to go for postgraduate studies in the US or UK to take the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam) or PLAB (Professional Linguistic Assessment Board), then go to a university recognised by those institutions.

Autonomous body: National Medical Commission

The National Medical Board comprises four autonomous boards:

Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB)

Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB)

Medical Assessment and Evaluation Board

Ethics and Medical Registration Committee

Eligibility criteria for NMC screening test

Non-Indian citizens who have completed their medical degree from an institute outside India can also appear for the screening test. Those seeking provisional or permanent registration with NMC or State Medical Councils will have to pass the screening test.

Students should have a qualifying certificate from NMC as per the admission requirements for admission to undergraduate courses in medical colleges abroad.

To pursue a medical degree from an institute outside India, students should have a NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) qualification. NEET result for admission to MBBS courses will be considered as the qualifying certificate for these students. 4,444 students were not eligible to sit the screening exam if they had a medical degree from Australia/Canada/New Zealand/UK/USA.