MBBS Abroad

📜 Government of India – Official Position

As per official Guidelines:

• → GOI is open to Indian students seeking medical qualification from any recognized medical education institution in a foreign country.
• → To practice in India, such students must:
  • ✦ get registered with a State Medical Council;
  • ✦ get included in the Indian Medical Register / National Register.
• → Registration is granted only after qualifying the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) conducted by NBE. FMGE exemption is granted to holders of degrees from some countries. But that exemption is conditional.
• → This requirement originates from Section 13(4A) of IMC Act, 1956 (amended 2002).
• → Under Section 13(4B) of the IMC Act, 1956, an Eligibility Certificate (EC) was mandatory before admission in a foreign medical institution. Candidates were required to fulfill eligibility criteria under:
  • ✦ Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997
  The Eligibility Certificate mechanism was later replaced by the mandatory NEET-UG qualification requirement (since 2019).
• → As per Supreme Court order dated 17.12.2013 (SLP No. 36956/2013), students taking admission after 16.04.2010 must complete course from same institution.
• → FMGL 2021 introduced structured requirements including:
  • ✦ Minimum 54 months course duration
  • ✦ 12 months internship in the same foreign institution
  • ✦ English as medium of instruction
  • ✦ Mandatory subjects equivalent to MBBS India
  • ✦ No transfer of internship to India
  • ✦ Mandatory registration in awarding country
  • ✦ Mandatory screening test / NExT
  • ✦ Completion within 10 years
  • ✦ Separate internship in India (12 months)
  These regulations formalised and codified earlier Supreme Court principles.

📋 FMGE Overview

As per Screening Regulations 2002 and FMGE Bulletin Dec 2022:

• → Conducted by National Board of Examinations (NBEMS)
• → Twice yearly: June & December
• → 300 MCQs
• → English only
• → Computer Based Test
• → Part I: 150 questions (150 minutes)
• → Part II: 150 questions (150 minutes)
• → No negative marking
• → Passing marks: 150/300
• → Unlimited attempts
• → Once passed → cannot reattempt
• → Fee: 6000 + GST 18% = 7080 (Non-refundable)

Apostille / Embassy Attestation mandatory.

🎓 FMGE Exemption

Exempt only if:

• → Undergraduate degree from:
  • ✦ Australia
  • ✦ Canada
  • ✦ New Zealand
  • ✦ United Kingdom
  • ✦ United States
• → AND Postgraduate degree from same country
• → Recognized for enrolment there

Note: Aspirants exploring medical education in these countries don’t need NEET UG qualification.

⚖️ Supreme Court Position (29 April 2022)

Case: NMC vs. Pooja Thandu Naresh & Ors.

• → Online clinical training is invalid.
• → FMGE pass ≠ automatic registration.
• → Entire course must be completed physically at same institution.
• → Courts cannot dilute curriculum.
• → NMC may create one-time relief scheme.

🎓 FMGL 2021 – Permanent Registration Requirements

• → 54 months academic course
• → 12 months internship in same foreign institution
• → English medium
• → Entire course outside India
• → No split country training
• → Registered in foreign country
• → 12 months supervised internship in India
• → NExT (once implemented)
• → Completion within 10 years

📖 Overview

Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Indian students going abroad to pursue medical education.

Earlier, all students interested in obtaining a medical qualification from outside India were required to obtain an Eligibility Certificate from the Government before leaving for their studies.

However, since 2019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has made it mandatory for students to qualify NEET-UG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test – Undergraduate) as a prerequisite to pursue medical education abroad.

🩺 NEET-UG – Mandatory Requirement Since 2019

Beginning 2019:

• → Only those students who appear in NEET-UG for admission to undergraduate medical education in India are eligible to:
  • 🌍 Pursue medical education abroad
  • 📝 Appear for the Screening Test (FMGE)

This reform has strengthened the screening mechanism for foreign medical graduates and has been positively acknowledged by host countries.

📑 Mandatory FMGE Requirement for Foreign Medical Graduates

(there are exceptions)

• → As per the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, all students who acquire a medical qualification from institutions outside India are required to:
  • 🎯 Qualify the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE)
  • 🏛️ Conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE)
  • 🖥️ Held twice every year:
    • ▪ June Session
    • ▪ December Session

This requirement continues under the regulatory framework now governed by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and subsequent FMGL Regulations 2021.

📊 Rising FMGE Candidates & Quality of Education

• → Rising Number of FMGE Candidates:
  • 📈 2009: 6,170 candidates appeared
  • 📈 2018: 21,351 candidates appeared
• → The National Board of Examinations (NBE) publishes country-wise performance data of Indian candidates in FMGE.
• → Variability in Quality of Medical Education Abroad:
  • ⚠️ Quality of medical education varies significantly across countries.
  • ⚠️ Students must exercise caution in selecting:
    • 🌐 Country
    • 🏫 Institution
    • 📚 Course structure
  • ✅ Continued and systematic guidance is necessary to ensure maximum academic exposure and compliance.

🇮🇳 MBBS in India

📝 Admission Process

Admission is strictly through NEET-UG, conducted nationally and regulated by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Seats are allotted purely on rank through centralized counseling (All India Quota and State Quota). Competition is extremely high, especially for government colleges.

🌍 MBBS Abroad

📝 Admission Process

Indian students must qualify NEET (valid for 3 years for foreign admission eligibility as per NMC). Most countries do not use NEET rank for merit but require only qualification. Admission is usually based on 12th PCB marks, basic screening, or university-level evaluation.

💰 Cost of Education

• Government colleges are highly affordable.
• Private colleges are expensive and can go up to 1–1.5 crore total.

• Generally ranges between 20–50 lakh total depending on country.
• Countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are more affordable.

For students who do not get a government seat, studying abroad is often cheaper than Indian private colleges.

⏳ Duration and Curriculum

• 4.5 years academic + 1 year compulsory internship.
• Internship is valid for Indian registration.
• Clinical exposure is usually very strong in government hospitals.

• 5 to 6 years total (varies by country).
• Internship structure differs.
• To practice in India, graduates must comply with NMC internship norms.

Clinical exposure varies significantly by country and university.

🩺 Licensing and Practice in India

After completing internship, registration is granted directly. No additional screening exam required.

Students must pass FMGE (currently) or NExT (upcoming unified exam) to obtain Indian registration.

This is the biggest difference between India and abroad pathways.

🎓 PG (Postgraduate) Opportunities

Eligible directly for NEET-PG/NExT PG pathway.

Must first clear FMGE/NExT to become eligible for Indian PG entrance.

Alternatively, students can pursue PG abroad through:

• USMLE (USA)
• PLAB (UK)
• European licensing routes

📚 Academic and Clinical Quality

• Strong patient load, especially in government hospitals.
• Structured supervision.
• Standardized regulatory oversight.

• Quality varies by country and university.
• Some countries offer excellent infrastructure but moderate patient load.
• Language barriers may affect early clinical training in some regions.

⚠️ Risk Factors

• Admission risk high (competition).
• Academic risk moderate.
• Regulatory risk very low.

• Screening exam risk present.
• University selection risk significant.
• Regulatory compliance must be verified (NMC guidelines).
• Geopolitical risks in certain regions.

👨‍⚕️ Who Should Prefer What?

Choose MBBS in India if:

• You secure a government seat.
• You aim for Indian PG with minimal risk.
• You prefer guaranteed licensing without additional exams.

Consider MBBS Abroad if:

• You are NEET qualified but rank is insufficient.
• Budget is 25–40 lakh.
• You are prepared to seriously prepare for FMGE/NExT.
• You choose a compliant and well-established university.

📊 Bottom-Line Summary

MBBS in India is the safest and most straightforward pathway but highly competitive.

MBBS abroad is financially viable compared to Indian private colleges but carries an additional screening and regulatory layer.

Success depends heavily on university choice, student discipline, and long-term career planning.

Why MBBS Abroad?

• Fees as low as 2 lakhs per year
• Even previous year NEET score is valid
• No bank guarantee
• No discontinuation bond
• Fees can be paid semester wise also.

NEET SCORE ACCEPTANCE NORM

Most countries that require NEET for Indian students accept any NEET-qualified candidate, irrespective of category.

Foreign universities do not apply Indian reservation category rules. They only check:

• Whether the student has qualified NEET
• Whether the NEET score is within valid 3-year eligibility (as per NMC)
• 12th PCB marks criteria

They do not differentiate between General or Reserved category qualification.

🔎 Why This Happens

The NEET cut-off percentile differs by category in India. For example:

• General: 50th percentile
• SC/ST/OBC: 40th percentile
• PwD (General): 45th percentile

If a student qualifies NEET under the 40th percentile (SC/ST/OBC), that student is still considered “NEET qualified” by the National Medical Commission for foreign MBBS eligibility.

Foreign University Verification

Foreign universities only verify:

• NEET scorecard
• Qualification status (Pass/Qualified)
• Validity period

They do not evaluate Indian category.

Country Practice (2026)

The following countries accept any NEET-qualified student, including category-qualified:

• Russia
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Uzbekistan
• Georgia
• Armenia
• Philippines
• China
• Egypt
• Romania
• Belarus
• Lithuania
• Latvia
• Italy
• Mauritius
• Caribbean medical schools

Nepal and Bangladesh

• They require NEET qualification.
• They also generally do not distinguish between Indian categories.
• However, admission may depend on NEET score rank competitiveness (especially Nepal).

FMGE 2024 Overview

Country & Institute-Wise Performance (As Published by NBE)

Total Candidates Appeared: 79,000

Total Passed: 20,382

Overall Pass Percentage: 25.80%

This includes candidates who were later declared ineligible after appearance in FMGE.

Pass percentage of some universities may change with declaration of withheld results.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION (Top 10)

1. Kazan Federal University – 68.42%
2. Obninsk Institute of Atomic Energy – 66.67%
3. V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University – 56.20%
4. Crimean Federal University – 54.80%
5. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University – 48.28%
6. Peoples Friendship University of Russia – 45.45%
7. Privolzhsky Research Medical University – 44.60%
8. Orenburg State Medical University – 43.40%
9. Smolensk State Medical University – 42.91%
10. Russian National Research Medical University – 42.86%

BANGLADESH (Top 10 by Pass %)

1. Brahmanbaria Medical College – 100.00%
2. Chittagong Medical College – 100.00%
3. Parkview Medical College – 100.00%
4. North Bengal Medical College – 75.00%
5. Rangpur Medical College – 75.00%
6. Delta Medical College – 66.67%
7. Mymensingh Medical College – 66.67%
8. Sir Salimullah Medical College – 66.67%
9. Bangladesh Medical College – 64.52%
10. Jahurul Islam Medical College – 61.67%

CHINA (Top 10 by Pass %)

1. Zhenjiang Medical College – 100.00%
2. Qingdao University (Qingdao Medical College) – 72.73%
3. Binzhou Medical University – 50.00%
4. Suzhou Medical College – 50.00%
5. Jiangsu University School of Medicine – 42.59%
6. College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University – 40.74%
7. Wenzhou Medical University – 39.86%
8. Fujian Medical University – 39.29%
9. Nanjing Medical University – 36.94%
10. Guangzhou Medical University – 35.95%