Georgia MBBS graduates must hold local medical licence to qualify for FMGE, says NMC

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has clarified that foreign medical graduates must hold a licence to practise medicine in the country where they obtained their medical qualification to be eligible for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in India.

The clarification has particular implications for Indian students pursuing medical education in Georgia, where graduates may work as junior doctors under supervision without holding a licence for independent medical practice.

The NMC's position was communicated in response to a grievance filed on the PM Grievance Portal by a candidate seeking clarification about whether completing a six-year medical course in Georgia would make a student eligible to appear for the FMGE.

What NMC's regulation requires

The NMC referred to Regulation 4(b) of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021.

Under the provision, a foreign medical graduate must be registered or licensed by the medical regulatory authority in the country where the qualification was obtained to independently practise medicine at a level comparable to that permitted for medical graduates of that country.

The NMC said the foreign medical graduate must therefore possess a licence to practise medicine in the country where the medical degree was obtained, at par with the licence granted to citizens of that country.

The regulator also clarified that a person's status as a "junior doctor" would meet the requirement only if that status legally permits medical practice at the required level.

If independent medical practice in Georgia requires postgraduate certification or residency after the primary medical qualification, the junior doctor status alone would not satisfy the requirement under Regulation 4(b). The NMC said the question has to be determined according to Georgia's applicable laws and licensing requirements.

Georgia's licensing pathway

An advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Yerevan in September 2022 had stated that Indian students could work as junior doctors in Georgia after completing their undergraduate medical studies.

However, for independent medical practice, the advisory said graduates would need to pass the National Post-Diploma Qualification Examination in the Georgian language, pursue postgraduate studies or residency in their chosen speciality, and obtain a licence for independent practice.

This distinction between supervised work and independent practice is central to the latest NMC clarification.

What the clarification means for Indian students

The FMGE is required for foreign medical graduates seeking registration to practise medicine in India. The NMC's official information on foreign medical qualifications states that Indian and OCI candidates with foreign undergraduate medical qualifications must qualify the FMG Examination before approaching the concerned State Medical Council for provisional registration and subsequent registration.

The latest clarification means that completing a medical degree abroad by itself does not establish FMGE eligibility. The graduate must also satisfy the applicable conditions under the FMGL Regulations, including the requirement concerning registration or licensing in the country where the qualification was obtained.

The issue has led to concerns among students and education consultants about how the licensing requirement applies to medical graduates from Georgia. Some consultants have reportedly advised students that working as a junior doctor after completing the six-year programme would be sufficient for FMGE eligibility. The NMC's response indicates that this would depend on whether the status legally permits independent practice under Georgian law.

NMC regulations apply based on course commencement

The FMGL Regulations, 2021 apply to foreign medical students whose classes began after the regulations were published on November 18, 2021. NMC's FAQ states that the date of the offer, invitation or admission letter is not the determining factor for deciding which regulatory framework applies.

The latest clarification therefore reinforces the need for students planning to study medicine abroad to examine not only the duration and structure of a medical programme but also the licensing requirements applicable in the country where they intend to obtain their qualification.