New Delhi, December 31, 2025—The National Medical Commission (NMC) has cleared up the rules for Indian students who joined Bachelor of Science (BS) medical courses abroad before the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations (FMGL), 2021 kicked in.
Here’s what’s new:
Initially, the NMC declares if a student/aspirant started a BS medical course abroad(online or offline) before November 18, 2021, the old Screening Test Rules from 2002 still apply for students. This notice follows an earlier public update from December 7, 2023.
However, there is a Condition
Now, these students must finish an extra one-year compulsory internship in India. The NMC says this is to make sure returning graduates get enough hands-on clinical experience in Indian hospitals.
The main idea?
The commission wants to bring everyone up to speed with India’s treatment guidelines, patient care standards, and teaching practices. They say this move protects public health and keeps the quality of doctors consistent nationwide.
This isn’t a blanket change
The NMC is calling it a one-time exemption—strictly for students who fit the criteria. No more extensions or extra relaxations after this.
Everything else from the original December 7 notice still stands. Colleges, hospitals, and state medical boards have to follow the new directions exactly as stated.
The NMC has already sent this update to all medical colleges, state and union territory medical departments, and medical councils. The goal is to help foreign-trained students transition smoothly, but without lowering the bar for medical education and practice in India.