Among the popular fields of education that our youth choose to pursue at the undergraduate level usually includes Medicine, or more specifically, MBBS. Among these, several thousand choose to pursue MBBS abroad in countries like China, Russia, Ukraine and others. One of the reasons for doing so was the ability to pursue a career in medicine in India after receiving their MBBS degree abroad.
However, this was possible due to the rules and regulations set by the Medical Commission of India, the regulatory body that was recently replaced by the National Medical Commission (NMC) of India, which has released its own set of regulations for Indian students pursuing foreign MBBS degrees abroad.
Based on a report from Outlook, new regulations that had been imposed on all students travelling abroad for MBBS education after 18th November 2021 by NMC have now made it nearly impossible for Indian students with a foreign MBBS degree to practice medicine in the country.
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One of the recent changes to the regulations, the Outlook reported, requires Indian students with a foreign MBBS degree to be registered with the respective professional regulatory body of the country where they earned their degree if they wish to practice medicine in India.
With regards to this rule, health and legal experts have claimed that 'no nations will permit registration of an international student even if they possess a valid degree since working in the country would require appropriate work visas, reported the Outlook. Further, the experts also claimed that only a few who do receive their work visas and the appropriate registration would have no reason to return to India.
Likhitha Yanmandala, a medical student, challenged these regulations in the Delhi High Court stating that Indian students with the appropriate degree and registration, will still be asked to clear the National Exit Exam to receive their license to practice in India. Yanmandala further highlighted India’s regulations towards international students with valid Indian MBBS degrees, which bars them from practising in India, stating that other countries will also find no reason to do the same.
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Previously, when the MCI had been operational, foreign graduates need not go through such drastic measures. The Outlook reported that MCI only needed to ensure that the candidate possessed a valid foreign medical degree.
However, with the formation of the NMC in September 2020 and enforcement of the National Medical Commission (foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations 2021 on 18th November 2021, students travelling abroad for undergraduate medical courses were required to satisfy new conditions, to ensure the courses were equivalent to the MBBS degree offered in India.
Along with this, additional regulations were also found to be unusual by legal and health experts. These regulations specified the minimum duration that the appropriate MBBS degree abroad should be as well as the language or medium of instruction needed.
According to the regulations, the minimum duration of the MBBS course abroad should not be less than 54 months (4 and half years) while the medium of instruction should only be English.
As per these regulations, popular MBBS destinations abroad such as China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia, come off the list the possible destinations for Indian students who wish to come back and practice medicine in India after earning their degree abroad. This is because medical education in these countries is usually conducted in their native language, instead of English, reported the Outlook.
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Speaking to the media, a student studying in Russia commented that only a limited number of colleges in such countries offer courses in English. The student added that students take up language crash courses for a few months to pursue education in the country.
Meanwhile, countries where the medium of instruction is English, for instance, the Philippines, are reported to offer courses that are completed within 54 months. Especially in the Philippines, undergraduate medical courses are completed in two parts, i.e. BS Biology and MD. Recently, the NMC had announced that the Philippines’ BS in Biology will no longer be recognised by the regulatory body of India.
According to a health expert associated with the MCI, stated that between 8,000 and 10,000 students have travelled to countries like the Philippines, Nepal, Russia, China, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Bangladesh and Kazakhstan, to pursue their medical education aspirations, since the establishment of the new regulations. However, both parents and students are unaware of the challenges and impacts of going abroad for MBBS.
Yanmandala, through his petition, has demanded that the new regulations be removed, stating that the NMC Act possesses no provisions to make such decisions.
Nevertheless, the NMC stood its ground, defending its decisions and regulations after the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the regulatory body. Defending its decisions, the NMC stated that the conditions have been introduced to maintain the highest standards of medical education. It further added that the conditions will also help ensure the quality of education that the students travelling abroad for higher studies, “so that they could return to the country and provide outstanding medical treatment to the public at large.”
The NMC stated that the candidates with a foreign medical degree shall maintain a “minimum standard of knowledge/competence which is expected to be achieved by a candidate undergoing MBBS in India.” Thus, in a bid to maintain a “uniform standard of medical practice in India” such regulations have been placed.
Source: Outlook India
