Centre plans to introduce $10,000 fee to recognize foreign medical courses

Mint

5 days ago

New Delhi: India's National Medical Commission (NMC), the country's apex medical education regulator, has proposed to overhaul rules and introduce a fee to recognize medical courses offered by universities abroad.
Under its new draft rules, foreign universities or accreditation agencies will need to pay the NMC a fee of $10,000 ( ₹ 8.6 lakh) for each application seeking recognition by India of a medical course conducted by them.
'Any foreign authority in any country outside India, entrusted with the recognition shall remit $10,000 (US dollars ten thousand only) per qualification as fees to the Commission while submitting its application in a proforma,' the NMC said in a draft notification, amending a clause of the National Medical Commission (Recognition of Medical Qualification) regulations.
The development is significant given that 25,000 Indian students go abroad annually to pursue a medical degree, with the preferred countries being Russia, China, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. These graduate doctors can practise in India only if the NMC recognizes their medical degree.
Charging fees for recognition of foreign medical courses is common globally, including in the US, Canada and the UK. Given the limited number of 1.1 lakh MBBS seats in India, and about 2.5 million applicants vying for them, overseas medical education becomes the second choice for many.
'The NMC is doing this to ensure high medical standards in India. The fee helps in formalizing and streamlining the recognition process and ensuring only top-quality foreign qualifications are recognized,' an official familiar with the matter said. 'This amendment particularly impacts the 20,000-25,000 Indian students who study MBBS abroad annually.'
The cost of studying medicine in Russia, China, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan ranges from ₹ 18 lakh to ₹ 48 lakh, depending on the course duration (5-6 years), university, city, and living expenses.
International bodies such as the World Federation for Medical Education charge about $60,000 to recognize national accrediting agencies. The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates in the US charges various fees to certify international medical graduates.
Mint reported earlier that the government recently appointed a chairman and other key members to fill vacancies in four NMC boards that oversee the functioning of medical colleges in India.
Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered till press time.