MBBS Graduates from Pakistan Not Allowed to Practice in India: MoS Health

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Health, Smt. Anupriya Patel recently clarified on the bar upon students with MBBS degrees from Pakistan based institutes from employment/higher studies in India. Relying on the National Medical Commission's earlier notice dated 28.04.2022, the Minister confirmed that if any Indian national or Overseas Citizen of India intends to get admitted to MBBS/BDS courses in any medical colleges of Pakistan, he/she would not be considered eligible to appear in the FMGE screening test or seek employment in India based on the educational qualifications acquired in Pakistan.

As per the rules, foreign medical graduates must clear the screening test, i.e., FMGE, and thereafter undergo the mandatory internship to obtain permanent registration to practice in India.

The only exception to this rule regarding the FMGs from Pakistan would be those who had joined the Pakistan degree colleges/institutes before December 2018 or later after obtaining Security Clearance from MHA till date.

However, Minister Patel added that migrants and their children who have studied medicine or higher education in Pakistan and were consequently granted citizenship by India would continue to be eligible to appear in the FMGE/NEXT or seek employment in India after obtaining the security clearance.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back in 2022, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had issued a warning to medical and dental aspirants against taking admission to MBBS/BDS courses in Pakistan. Issuing a public notice on April 28, 2022, NMC mentioned that MBBS/BDS graduates from Pakistan would not be eligible to appear in the FMGE screening test and practice in India.

"All concerned are advised not to travel to Pakistan for pursuing Medical Education. Any Indian national/Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission in MBBS/BDS or equivalent medical course in any medical college of Pakistan shall not be eligible for appearing in FMGE or seeking employment in India on the basis of educational qualifications (in any subject) acquired in Pakistan except those who had joined Pakistan degree colleges/institutions before December 2018 or later after obtaining Security Clearance from MHS till date," NMC had mentioned in the notice. Back then, a similar warning had been issued by the Dental Council of India (DCI).

Also Read: MBBS, BDS degrees from Pakistan Not Valid: NMC, DCI

This issue was recently raised in the Lok Sabha by parliament member Shri Aga Syed Rukullah Mehdi, who asked the Union Health Minister whether the Government had taken/proposed to reconsider its advisories barring students with Pakistani MBBS degrees from employment/higher studies in India, given that most were enrolled pre-advisory. He also asked about the rationale for dereognizing the Pakistani degrees in India while permitting those from Bangladesh/Nepal under SAARC despite identical medical curricula and the Pakistan Medical Commission's global accreditation.

Apart from this, he also asked whether the Government had assessed the socio-economic impact on female students, who are now forced into debt for transfers to European colleges or informal work.

In response to these queries, the Minister referred to the NMC notice issued in this regard and informed the Parliament, "As per National Medical Commission’s Public notice dated 28.04.2022 “any Indian national/Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission in MBBS/BDS or equivalent medical course in any medical college of Pakistan shall not be eligible for appearing in FMGE or seeking employment in India on the basis of educational qualifications (in any subject) acquired in Pakistan except those who had joined Pakistan degree colleges/institutions before December 2018 or later after obtaining Security Clearance from MHA till date."

"However, migrants and their children who have acquired medical degree or higher education in Pakistan and have been awarded citizenship by India would continue to be eligible for appearing in FMGE/NEXT or seeking employment in India after obtaining Security Clearance from MHA," the Minister further clarified.

Also Read: 250+ FMGs Who Studied in Pakistan awaiting Security Clearance