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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) covered by Screening Test Regulations, 2002
Disclaimer – These FAQ’s are in the nature of explanation for ease of understanding of the general public and cannot be upheld to a court of law. Please refer to the relevant gazette notifications for legal validity.
Q1. To whom do the Screening Test Regulations, 2002 apply?
The foreign medical graduates who have acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification, as the case may be, and the candidates who are pursuing their education in foreign institutions, prior to 18th Nov, 2021.
Q2. What is a Screening Test?
A Screening Test (commonly l‹nown as Foreign Medical Graduates Examination or FMGE) is an examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to determine the eligibility or otherwise of a candidate for his or her registration with the National Medical Commission or any State Medical Council and qualifying the same shall not confer any other right, whatsoever, on a candidate. [Reg 5 of Screening Test]
Q3. When did the Screening Test Regulations, 2002 come into force?
The Screening Test negulations, 2002 came into force on 18*h Feb, 2002. [Reg 1(2) of Screening Test]
Q4. What are the registration requirements for Indian Citizens or Overseas Citizens of India having an MBBS degree from outside India?
An Indian citizen or Overseas Citizen of India possessing a primary medical qualification awarded by any medical institution outside India who is desirous of getting provisional or permanent registration with the National Medical Commission or any State Medical Council on or after 15.03.2002 shall have to qualify the FMGE. [Reg. 3 of Screening Test]
Q5. What is meant by Primary Medical Qualification?
A medical qualification awarded by any medical institution outside India which is a recognized qualification for enrolment as medical practitioner in the country in which the institution awarding the said qualification is situated and which is equivalent to MBBS in lndia. [Reg. 2(f) of Screening Test]
Q6. What is meant by Provision at Registration?
Registration in a State Medical Register or Indian Medical Register for the purpose of undergoing practical training in India, as prescribed and for no other purpose, by an Indian citizen possessing any primary medical qualification but has not undergone such practical training after obtaining that qualification as may be required by the rules or regulations in force in the country granting the qualification. [Reg. 2(g) of Screening Test]
Q7. What is meant by Permanent Registration?
Registration for the purpose of enrolment on any State Medical Register or Indian Medical Register after obtaining the Primary Medical Qualification followed by completion of such practical training as prescribed either in India or abroad as per the provisions of the Act. [Reg. 2(c) of Screening test]
Q8. When is the Screening Test conducted?
The screening test is conducted twice a year. [Reg. 7 of Screening Test]
Q9. What is the eligibility criteria for appearing in the Screening Test?
- A Citizen of India or Overseas Citizen of India possessing any primary medical qualification, which is confirmed by the Indian Embassy concerned to be a recognized qualification for enrolment as medical practitioner in the country in which the institution awarding the said qualification is situated.
- He/ she had obtained ‘Eligibility Certificate’ from the Medical Council of India/ National Medical Commission as per the ‘Eligibility Requirement for taking admission in an undergraduate medical course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002’ as amended from time to time. This requirement shall not be necessary in respect of Indian citizens or Overseas Citizens of India who have acquired the medical qualifications from foreign medical institutions or have obtained admission in foreign medical institution before 15th March, 2002.
- Indian Citizens/Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the ‘National Eligibility cum-Entrance Test for Admission to MBBS course’. The result of the ‘National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Admission to MBBS course’ shall deem to be treated as the Eligibility Certificate for such persons, provided that such persons fulfill the Eligibility Criteria for admission to the MBBS course prescribed in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.
4.. A person seeking provisional or permanent registration shall be exempt from the FMGE if he/she holds an Under Graduate medical qualification from Australia/Canada/New Zealand/United Kingdom/United States of America and the holder thereof also been awarded a Post Graduate medical qualification in Australia/Canada/New Zealand/United Kingdom/United States of America and has been recognized for enrolment as medical practitioner in that country. [Reg. 4 of Screening Test]
Q10. What is the format of the FMGE?
There shall be three papers of multiple choice questions in Pre Clinical, Para – Clinical and ClinicaI Medicine and its allied subjects including Obstetrics and Gynaercology [Reg. 8 of Screening Test]
Q11. What is the language of the FMGE?
English [Reg. 8 of Screening test]
Q12. What is the duration of the FMGE?
The test for each paper will be of three hours duration. [Reg. 8 of Screening test]
Q13. What is the criteria for passing the FMGE?
A candidate shall be declared as having passed only if he/ she obtains a minimum of 50% (fifty percent) marks in each paper separately. The minimum qualifying marks shall apply to all categories of candidates without exception. [Reg. 9 of Screening Test]
Q14. How many attempts does a candidate have to clear the FMGE?
A candidate shall have to pass all the three papers in the same attempt. However, there shall not be any restriction on the number of attempts to appear in the test. [Reg. 10 of Screening Test]
Q15. What are the provisions regarding internship of FMGs?
Indian citizens (including overseas Indian citizens) who are Foreign Medical Graduates who do not fall under the purview of the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021 shall be regulated by the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 13 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956) in accordance with the Advisory no. MCI-203(1)(Gen)/2020-Regn./118239 dated 2nd September, 2020 and shall be required to complete Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) in India if they have not undergone such practical training after obtaining such qualification as may be required by the rules and regulations in force in the country granting such qualification or have not undergone any practical training in that country.
Q16. Are FMGs allowed to transfer from one college to another in the same country or another country during the course?
There is no clause regarding transfer in the Screening Test Regulations, 2002. As such, there are no restrictions on transfer so long as other criteria laid down in Screening Test Regulations, 2002 are fulfilled.
Q17. What are the provisions regarding online classes?
Foreign Medical Graduates are allowed to undergo online classes of theory subjects only and supplemented by offline practical and clinical training done in the Medical University and its affiliated Hospital during the course of MBBS. They are also required to furnish Certificate of successful completion for the same.