The All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA) has appealed to the central government to reconsider the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) recent directive related to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs). The student body has requested the authorities to withdraw the rule that asks certain FMGs to complete onsite compensation training due to online classes held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter addressed to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, AIMSA highlighted the concerns of thousands of Indian medical students who studied abroad during the pandemic period.
When COVID-19 spread across the world, universities in many countries temporarily moved to online learning because of travel bans and public health restrictions. Medical universities also adopted digital classes to ensure students could continue their academic programs.
AIMSA stated that students followed the systems provided by their universities and had limited control over the sudden change in teaching methods. Many institutions later resumed in-person clinical training once conditions improved.
According to AIMSA, the NMC’s notice could require some foreign-trained medical graduates to undergo extra onsite training in India to compensate for the period when classes were conducted online.
The association believes that introducing such a requirement now may create additional challenges for students who have already completed their degrees and are preparing to begin their professional careers.
Foreign medical graduates already need to clear qualifying exams such as the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and complete internship training in India before they can practice medicine.
Every year, a large number of Indian students pursue medical education in countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and other parts of Eastern Europe. AIMSA said that the proposed rule may particularly affect students who enrolled in these universities during the pandemic years.
The organization added that policy decisions should consider the unusual global situation that existed during COVID-19, when educational institutions worldwide had to adapt quickly to remote learning.
In its letter, AIMSA requested the government to review the directive and provide relief to students who completed their courses during the pandemic. The association also asked that new regulations should not be applied retrospectively to students who enrolled under earlier rules.
The issue has sparked discussion among the FMG community, with many students waiting to see whether the government will reconsider the directive.
For thousands of Indian medical graduates trained abroad, the final decision could influence how quickly they are able to continue their medical careers in India.
