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MBBS in China for Indian students: what the NMC's FMGL Regulations 2021 require

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

An Indian student who studies medicine in China and wants to practise in India is a foreign medical graduate under the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has published a set of frequently asked questions on those regulations. According to that document, the course must last at least 54 months, be taught in English, and be followed by a 12-month internship at the same foreign institution. The graduate must then pass the test the NMC mandates and complete a further supervised internship in India.

The NMC's document carries its own disclaimer: the FAQs explain the regulations for the public and cannot be upheld in a court of law, and readers should refer to the gazette notifications for legal validity. This guide summarises the FAQ document and is not legal advice.

Who the regulations apply to

The FAQ defines a foreign medical graduate as a person who does not have a primary medical qualification from a university, medical college or institution in India and who seeks a licence to practise medicine in India.

The regulations came into force on 18 November 2021. They do not apply to graduates who obtained their foreign medical degree before that date, or to candidates who were already pursuing undergraduate medical education at foreign institutions before that date. Those groups are governed by the regulations that applied previously.

Requirements for the course abroad

Point What the NMC's FAQ states
Duration A minimum of fifty-four months
Medium of instruction English
Content Theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to the MBBS of India
Internship abroad Twelve months in addition to the course, in the same foreign institution where the degree is obtained
Place of study The entire course, training and internship must be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout. No part may be done in India or in a third country
Time limit The course must be completed within ten years of joining
Registration abroad The graduate must be registered with the body competent to grant a licence to practise in the country that awards the degree, on a par with the licence given to that country's citizens
Online classes Allowed for theory subjects only, supplemented by offline practical and clinical training at the medical university and its affiliated hospital

The FAQ treats clinical postings and internship as separate phases. Clinical posting is part of the 54-month course. The internship comes after the course is completed.

After returning to India

The FAQ lists what a foreign medical graduate needs in order to be eligible for internship in India. Besides the course requirements above, the graduate must have:

  • passed the screening test, the National Exit Test, or such other test or tests as the NMC mandates;
  • obtained provisional registration from the State Medical Council concerned.

The graduate must then undergo a supervised internship in India for a minimum of twelve months. This is in addition to the twelve-month internship done abroad. Applications for internship go to the State Medical Council through the NMC.

What this means when choosing a school in China

The NMC's conditions are about the course you actually take. Three of them can be checked against a Chinese university's own admission notice before you apply:

  1. Medium of instruction. The FAQ requires English. In China, only universities on the Ministry of Education's list may enrol international students in English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine. A Chinese-taught or "bilingual" programme is a different programme.
  2. Duration and internship. Check the stated length of the course and where the internship year takes place. The FAQ requires the internship at the same foreign institution.
  3. Registration in China. The FAQ requires registration with the body competent to license doctors in the country that awards the degree. Ask the university, in writing, how its international graduates meet this condition.

This site does not say whether any particular school's programme satisfies the NMC. Only the NMC can decide that, and no page here promises a registration or a test result.

Questions

How long must an MBBS course abroad be for the NMC?

The NMC's FAQ gives a minimum of fifty-four months for the course, followed by an internship of twelve months at the same foreign institution.

Does the NMC require the course to be taught in English?

Yes. The FAQ states that the medium of instruction during the course is English.

Can part of the course or the internship be done in India or in a third country?

No. The FAQ states that the entire course, training and internship must be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution, and that no part may be done in India or in any country other than the one where the degree is obtained.

Is an internship in India still required after the internship abroad?

Yes. The FAQ states that foreign medical graduates must also undergo a supervised internship in India for a minimum of twelve months.

Do the 2021 regulations apply to students who started before 18 November 2021?

No. The FAQ states that candidates who were pursuing undergraduate medical education at foreign institutions before 18 November 2021 are governed by the regulations that applied previously.

Sources, checked 11 October 2026:

MBBS Register Desk