The National Medical Commission has clarified that foreign medical graduates must hold a licence to practise medicine in the country where they obtained their medical degree to be eligible to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in India. The clarification has particular implications for Indian students studying medicine in Georgia, where graduates may work as junior doctors under supervision but may require additional qualifications and licensing before they can practise independently.

The clarification followed a grievance filed by a candidate named Bhawna on the PM Grievance Portal seeking clarity on whether completing a six-year MBBS programme in Georgia would make a student eligible for the FMGE. The NMC referred to Regulation 4(b) of the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021. Under the regulation, a foreign medical graduate must be registered or licensed by the medical regulator in the country where the degree was obtained to independently practise medicine at a level equivalent to that permitted for graduates of that country.

The NMC said a person holding “Junior Doctor” status would meet the requirement only if that status legally permits medical practice at the level required under the regulation. It clarified that if independent medical practice in Georgia is permitted only after postgraduate certification or other additional requirements, simply working as a junior doctor would not be sufficient. The commission said eligibility would therefore have to be assessed according to Georgia’s applicable laws and licensing requirements rather than solely on the title or status held by the graduate.

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Bhawna alleged that some education consultants, allegedly working with Georgian colleges, were misleading students by interpreting the rules to mean that working as a junior doctor during or after the six-year medical programme would automatically make them eligible for the FMGE. She said the NMC response had clarified the position. An earlier advisory issued by India’s Embassy in Yerevan in September 2022 had said Indian students could work as junior doctors after completing their undergraduate medical studies, but independent practice required additional steps, including passing Georgia’s National Post-Diploma Qualification Examination in Georgian, completing postgraduate studies or residency and obtaining an independent practice licence.

The clarification has also raised concerns among medical aspirants and consultants about students who may have enrolled in Georgian medical colleges without fully understanding the licensing requirements. According to the information provided, an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Indian students joined medical colleges in Georgia after the 2021 FMGE regulations came into effect. Some students may therefore face difficulties if their foreign medical qualification does not itself provide the independent practice licence required under Regulation 4(b).

The NMC’s clarification makes the foreign licensing requirement a key consideration for Indian students planning to pursue medical education abroad. Consultant concerns and Bhawna’s appeal for a clearer advisory have highlighted the need for students to understand the licensing rules of the country where they intend to study before enrolling. For students in Georgia, completing the six-year medical programme and working as a supervised junior doctor may not by itself establish FMGE eligibility if independent medical practice legally requires further qualification or licensing.

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