By Ayushi Gupta

As Nepal initiates counseling rounds for admission to MBBS courses in its medical colleges, experts warn Indian aspirants that Nepal fails to meet the requirements of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 to practice in India. This implies that Indian students who have enrolled in Nepal after 2021 or are planning to move there for an MBBS or BDS degree may have to face uncertainty. As per the recent notification, the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) stated that there is no provision for treating international students as natives while granting licenses to practice in Nepal.

Several Indian students seeking admission to private medical colleges in Nepal are unaware of the licensing regulations. Many students lack adequate knowledge regarding the FMGL Regulations 2021 requirements outlined by the National Medical Council of India. Additionally, there is no certified list of countries that meet the eligibility prerequisites for getting registered in India as a doctor. As a result, around 700 to 900 students, who move to Nepal for medical education each year, often regret their decision later.

Not equivalent to natives

A student on the condition of anonymity shared his experience. “In 2022, I enrolled in a private medical college in Nepal and paid approximately 40% of the required fees as requested by the authorities. The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) misled Indian students by promising them a license to practice in Nepal at the time of admission but later changed the rules by releasing a circular in the Nepal Gazette (Nepali Rajpatra) on April 12, 2023. The circular was written in ambiguous language, creating confusion while encouraging more admissions. However, after reaching out to the Indian embassy in Nepal, I learned that the NMC would not provide licenses to international students, complicating their return to India. This notice shattered my dream of becoming a doctor, leaving me with no choice but to abandon my MBBS course and return to India. My parents spent around Rs 20 lakh on my education in Nepal, which was never refunded.”

On October 17, 2024, the Association of Private Medical & Dental College of Nepal issued a circular assuring that the association is committed to ensuring the eligibility of international students for registration upon their return to their home countries.

Good standing certificate

The provisions regarding the registration of foreign medical practitioners in Nepal are outlined in Section 21(f), Chapter 3 of the Nepal Medical Council Regulations, 2024, which has specified several documents, including the good standing certificate. Dr. B Srinivas, secretary of National Medical Commission in India, says, “India issues good standing certificates to students who studied in India. The document is similar to a usual character certificate, which can be issued by the country where a candidate completed their graduation or postgraduation. We have an official document regulatory body in India and provide this certificate to students who graduated from colleges in Nepal or any other country.”

In response, the NMC countered the association’s claims with an official circular that read, “Foreign medical practitioners are registered according to NMC Regulation 21(f), which stipulates that applicants must produce a good standing certificate issued by regulatory bodies in their country of origin. However, the NMC would also like to inform students graduating from colleges in Nepal can appear for the licensing exam as per NMC regulation 20(e)3a. Thus, while citizens other than Nepalis may obtain registration under the foreign doctor registration category, it is further clarified that they will not be treated on par with Nepali graduates.”

Source: Times of India, 28 October 2024

Nepal MBBS