Be cautious students, parents! NMC warning on unauthorised med colleges

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has raised an alert against unauthorised medical colleges in the nation that are running in the absence of necessary approvals from NMC and making false claims to students and parents about recognition and accepting admissions in medical courses that are not legally approved.

The guidelines issued by NMC Secretary Raghav Langer to states stated they have put down some of the key points to be remembered by parents and students while admitting to a medical course in India and the rules to be adopted by the students who want to take medical education in foreign nations.

The NMC also identified two medical colleges - Singhania University in Rajasthan and Sanjiban Hospital and Medical College, Howrah, West Bengal - for providing MBBS courses without NMC approval.

In a second advisory, Sukh Kal Meena, Director, Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), stated, "The NMC has noted a couple of instances of unauthorized medical colleges functioning in the nation, without necessary approvals. These colleges are cheating students and parents by asserting recognition and accepting admissions in medical courses that are not legally approved."

It, however, did not specify any medical colleges which are violating the norms except those of Rajasthan and WB.

"Only those medical colleges shown on the official NMC website are legally entitled to offer MBBS and other medical degree courses in India. Those institutions that are not shown on NMC's official list are unauthorised and running in contravention of NMC norms," the advisory further said.

The NMC also provided regulations for students who wish to undertake medical studies in foreign nations. The NMC informed that the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021, clearly state the norms for foreign medical education to be eligible to practice medicine in India.

The main requirements are minimum 54 months of study in one institution; 12-month internship to be served at the same foreign university; clinical training cannot be done in segments or in different countries; medium of instruction should be English; completed the compulsory subjects enlisted in the Schedule-I; enrolled with the respective professional regulatory council or otherwise, authorized to issue license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country from which the medical degree is granted and at par with the license to practice medicine issued to citizen of that country.

It further added that foreign medical graduates who do not meet these regulations can be disqualified from registration to practice medicine in India. The NMC also emphasized that students graduating from non-compliant colleges will be rendered ineligible for licensing exams - FMGE in India.