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India's advisories to students going abroad: the May and July documents read together in order

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

The National Medical Commission (India) sets the conditions under which a foreign medical degree can lead to registration to practise in India. Its advisory of 19 May 2025 restates those conditions for Indian students who intend to study medicine abroad. Its alert note of July 2025 refers to earlier notices and warns that students may face disqualification from registration if their course does not follow the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021.

These rules belong to India's regulator, and they apply to Indian students seeking registration in India. Practising back home is covered on this register's section page.

This page reads the two documents in date order. It describes what they say and does not assess any university or course. The July 2025 note says, in paragraph 5, that the Regulations are applied at the time of screening or registration.

Reading the documents in order

Document Date Used on this page
NMC public notice 8 August 2023 Referred to in paragraph 1 of the July 2025 note; its text is not reproduced here
NMC public notice 22 November 2024 Referred to in paragraph 1 of the July 2025 note; its text is not reproduced here
Advisory U-14021/UGMEB-2025 19 May 2025 Sections 3, 4 and 6
Alert Note No. U-15021/1/2024-UGMEB July 2025 (no day printed) Paragraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5

The advisory of 19 May 2025

The advisory was issued by the National Medical Commission (India), Undergraduate Medical Education Board. Its other sections are not covered here. Section 3 is headed as rules for students who intend to pursue medical education in foreign countries. It says that the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021 define the standards for foreign medical education to become eligible to practise medicine in India. Section 3 lists these key requirements:

  • a. Minimum 54 months of education in a single institution.
  • b. 12-month internship to be completed at the same foreign university.
  • c. Clinical training must not be done in parts or across different countries.
  • d. Medium of instruction must be English.
  • e. Studied the mandatory subjects specified in the Schedule-I.
  • f. Registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practise medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practise medicine given to citizen of that country.

Section 3 says that for detailed requirements, Schedule I of the FMGL Regulation, 2021 "shall be complied with" to apply for a licence or permanent registration to practise in India. It adds that it is firmly advised to do so.

The conditions above come from the FMGL Regulations, 2021, which were notified on 18 November 2021. Under regulation 5(1)(a) and (b), the Regulations do not apply to foreign medical graduates who acquired a foreign medical degree before they came into force, and to candidates who were pursuing their education in foreign institutions before then. Regulation 5(2) says that such graduates and candidates shall be governed by the erstwhile applicable regulations. The FAQ on the Regulations gives the date of coming into force as 18 November 2021 (Q2 and Q4). The FAQ's disclaimer says it is written to explain the Regulations for ease of understanding and cannot be upheld in a court of law, and that the gazette notifications are the reference for legal validity.

Section 3 also says that no Foreign Medical Graduate shall be granted permanent registration unless he or she has undergone supervised internship in India for a minimum term of twelve months, after applying for the same to the Commission. It says that Foreign Medical Graduates who fail to comply with these regulations may lead to disqualification for registration to practice medicine in India.

Risk of disqualification

Section 4 says that students graduating from non-compliant institutions will be held ineligible for licensing exams, i.e. FMGE in India. It says that the onus of this disqualification lies solely with the student, as per the regulations of the Commission.

Advice for students and parents

Section 6 gives three points of advice:

  • a. DO NOT FALL FOR FAKE OFFERS: No college can guarantee admission outside of official channels, i.e., NEET Examination.
  • b. VERIFY BEFORE YOU PAY: Confirm approvals before making any payments or committing to a program.
  • c. REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: If you know any institution illegally offering medical admissions, report them to NMC.

The alert note of July 2025

The alert note is Alert Note No. U-15021/1/2024-UGMEB, issued by the National Medical Commission (India), Undergraduate Medical Education Board. The header prints July 2025 without a day.

Earlier notices and five areas

Paragraph 1 refers to the National Medical Commission's Public Notices dated 8 August 2023 and 22 November 2024. It says that Indian students aspiring to obtain medical qualifications from foreign institutions, and then seeking registration to practise allopathy in India, were advised to ensure strict compliance with the FMGL Regulations, 2021, notified on 18.11.2021.

Paragraph 1 also says that students were specifically cautioned that any deviation in the following areas may result in disqualification from obtaining registration in India:

  • i. Duration of the course
  • ii. Medium of instruction
  • iii. Syllabus and curriculum
  • iv. Clinical training
  • v. Internship or clerkship arrangements

Concerns reported

Paragraph 2 says that, despite these advisories, it has been observed that Indian students continue to seek admission to foreign medical institutions which do not meet the required standards prescribed under the FMGL Regulations, 2021. It says that communications from the Indian Embassy in Mexico and the Eurasia Division of the Ministry of External Affairs have highlighted serious concerns against the medical institutions in respect of the following:

  • i. Lack of compliance with Indian medical education standards
  • ii. Inadequate or non-existent university campus infrastructure
  • iii. Poor quality of educational and clinical training facilities
  • iv. Instances of harassment of Indian students
  • v. Excessive fees being charged
  • vi. Denial of fee refunds upon withdrawal from the course

These are concerns that paragraph 2 reports from those communications.

Consequences and advice

Paragraph 4 says that failure to follow the advisory may result in ineligibility for medical registration in India. It advises prospective students and their parents to read the advisory dated 19 May 2025, which is on the National Medical Commission (India) website. Paragraph 4 says that this advisory contains critical information on recognized institutions, eligibility criteria and other important guidelines.

Paragraph 5 is addressed to students who are governed by the FMGL Regulations, 2021 and who undergo their studies in such institutes or universities. It advises that they may face disqualification from registration in India, due to non-compliance with the FMGL Regulations, 2021. For who is governed by those Regulations, see regulation 5 above. Paragraph 5 then sets out what the students need to do:

  1. Consider whether the current university meets the FMGL Regulations, 2021.
  2. Evaluate this immediately.
  3. Stay in touch with National Medical Commission (India) updates on the dedicated website.
  4. Consult the Indian Embassy of the concerned country for updates on recognition or blacklisting of institutions.
  5. Take corrective measure immediately, since the FMGL Regulations are applied at the time of screening or registration.

Questions people ask

Do the 2021 Regulations apply to a student who was already studying abroad before 18 November 2021?

Regulation 5(1)(b) says the Regulations shall not be applicable to candidates who are pursuing their education in foreign institutions prior to the coming into force of the Regulations. Regulation 5(2) says that such candidates shall be governed by the erstwhile applicable regulations. The FAQ gives 18 November 2021 as the date in Q4.

What does the advisory say happens to a student who graduates from a non-compliant institution?

Section 4 of the advisory of 19 May 2025 says that such students will be held ineligible for licensing exams, i.e. FMGE in India. It says the onus of this disqualification lies solely with the student, as per the regulations of the Commission.

What does the advisory say to do before making a payment?

Section 6(b) of the advisory says to confirm approvals before making any payments or committing to a program.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal, medical or professional-licensing advice, it is not published by the bodies named, and it promises no admission, examination or registration outcome. The official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

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