NMC clarifies on mandatory physical compensation classes for online MBBS study by FMGs, warns of regulatory violation

New Delhi: The Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) recently issued clarification regarding the mandatory physical onsite compensation for online classes undertaken by Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) during their MBBS studies abroad.Issuing a notice on March 5, 2026, the UGMEB clarified several queries raised by stakeholders and students about the requirement to compensate for online medical education through physical training.As per the clarification, students who took admission in foreign medical institutions on or before November 18, 2021, the date when the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations (FMGL) 2021 were notified and have compensated their online classes through physical onsite clinical or theory training, completed one year of internship at their foreign medical institution, and passed the examination equivalent to the MBBS exam in India, will be considered under the provisions of the Screening Test Regulations.However, students who took admission after November 18, 2021, will be governed by the FMGL Regulations 2021 and will be required to undergo one year of mandatory internship in India in accordance with the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations 2021.The Commission also clarified that compensation for online classes without extending the study period will not be accepted. According to NMC, foreign medical institutions cannot issue compensation certificates unless the students actually undergo additional physical training for the duration of the online study.The notice has been issued in reference to its earlier Public Notices dated 07-12-2023 and 19-6-2024.”In continuation of the Public Notices issued by the National Medical Commission, vide notices dated 07.12.2023 [copy enclosed] and 19.06.2024 [copy enclosed], regarding mandatory physical onsite compensation classes for online studies undertaken by foreign medical students pursuing the MBBS course at medical institutions outside India, the Commission hereby provides the following clarifications on queries raised by various stakeholders and students,” mentioned the notice. Referring to this notice, the National Medical Commission asked all the State Medical Councils to process the applications of Foreign Medical Graduates in accordance with the applicable regulations after verifying that they have fulfilled the required conditions.Queries and Clarifications:1. Applicability of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations. 2021, Published on 8.11 .2021The students who had taken admission on or before 18.11.2021, the date of notification of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 (FMGL, 2021), and who have duly compensated the period of online instruction by undergoing physical onsite clinical and/or theory training, together with one year of internship in the concerned foreign medical college or university, and who have qualified the examinations equivalent to the MBBS examination in India, shall be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Screening Test Regulations; and Students who had taken admission after 18.11.2021, the date of notification of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 (FMGL, 2021), shall be governed by the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, and shall be required to undergo one year of mandatory internship in India as prescribed therein. All other conditions maintained in the Public Notice dated 7.12.2023 will continue to remain in force.2. Whether online study in one academic year can be compensated along with the next year offline without extension of the study period?UGMEB clarified that compensation without extension of the study period is not acceptable, as it is contrary to FMGL Regulations, 2021, which require the course and clerkship to be commensurate with the MBBS course in India.The primary objective of the public notices dated 07.12.2023 and 19.06.2024 is to ensure that any portion of the medical education undertaken by the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) through online mode, particularly during periods of Global disruption like COVID-19, is adequately compensated trough in- person clinical and academic training, by its very nature, requires substantial hands-on learning, clinical exposure, and practical experience, which cannot be effectively substituted by virtual instructions alone.
Therefore, any FMG who studied a portion of their course online is required to undergo equivalent in- person training to make up for that duration. In this context, foreign medical institutions that issue a “compensation certificate” without actually extending the period of study and without ensuring that the additional training has occurred in a physical mode are acting in contradiction to the intent and requirements of the FMGL Regulations. Such certificates, issued without genuine compensation and extension of study period, undermine the very spirit and purpose of the FMGL Regulations, 2021, which aim to uphold the integrity and quality of medical education for practitioners intending to practice in India.
Under Schedule-I of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021, notified on 18.11.2021, it is clearly stated: “The course and internship or clinical clerkship shall commensurate with the MBBS course of India in accordance with the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 and subsequent amendments thereto, and shall include the subjects mentioned therein as are duly recognized by the Commission under sub-section (2) of section 61 of the Act.”This clause emphasises that: The structure, duration, and content of foreign medical courses must be equivalent to the Indian MBBS curriculum. The course must include sufficient hands-on clinical training. Online-only education cannot be considered equivalent unless the missed components are physically compensated for. Institutions must ensure compliance with both curriculum and practical standards, failing which FMG qualifications may not be recognized in India.3. Should the compensation certificate contain details of the extended academic period to compensate for the online study in the offline mode?Yes. It is imperative to verify the authenticity of the claim of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) regarding the offline compensation for the remaining duration of the medical course, which must include both theoretical and practical components. Accordingly, the compensation certificate issued by the concerned foreign medical institution must clearly specify the details of the subjects and the duration completed by the FMG. i.e., The certificate must specify theory, clinical subjects, and mandatory clerkship undertaken during offline compensation, etc.Furthermore, the transcript of record issued by the university/medical institution must be duly apostilled and authenticated by the Indian Embassy or High Commission in the respective country, to ensure its legitimacy and compliance with regulatory requirements.4. Whether the curriculum for the two academic years can be completed in one year of offline study?No. As clarified at Sl. No. l, academic years cannot be compressed, and the entire online study period must be adequately compensated through physical onsite training.5. Who has the primary responsibility to process applications of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) to grant permanent registration in India?The primary responsibility for processing applications of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs), particularly those falling under the categories specified above, in accordance with the provisions ofthe Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 and the Compulsory Rotatory Medical Intemship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, rests exclusively with the respective State Medical Councils (SMCs), in consultation with the concerned State Directorate of Medical Education (DME).In this regard, the SMCs shall verify and ensure that:i. The FMG has duly completed the compensatory academic requirement, comprising both theory and practical components, at the same foreign medical institution, which shall be duly verified and corroborated through VISA stamping and entry/exit records as reflected in the passport;ii. The FMG has qualified the Screening Test/FMGL Examination; andiii. The FMG has completed a one-year Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) in India, as prescribed under the CRMI Regulations, 2021, prior to the grant of permanent registration by the SMC.The prescribed sequence for processing shall be as follows:(i) Qualification of the Screening Test/FMGL Examination, along with submission of the requisite primary medical qualification degree and clerkship certificates:(ii) Grant ofprovisional registration for undergoing CRMI; and(iii) Subsequently, grant of permanent registration upon satisfactory completion of CRMI.The board further warned that a State Medical Council shall not grant permanent registration unless it has fully verified that all required conditions, such as onsite compensation for online study, mandatory clerkship, and completion of the compulsory rotating internship in India, have been met. Any registration granted without following these rules will be considered a regulatory violation.Medical Dialogues had earlier reported on 19.06.2024, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the Commission clarified that all the medical graduates from abroad who have sufficiently compensated classes in physical onsite in lieu of the online classes and who have cleared the equivalent exam to MBBS in India, shall be eligible for a one-year mandatory internship.To view the official notice, click on the link below:https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2026/03/07/nmc-mandatory-physical-onsite-compensation-classes-for-online-studies-undertaken-by-foreign-medical-students-pursuing-the-mbbs-course-at-medical-institutions-outside-india-331489.pdfAlso read- NMC Relief: FMGs who have sufficiently compensated classes in physical onsite in lieu of online classes eligible for one year mandatory internship