If you're planning to study MBBS abroad and return to practice in India, these are the rules that apply to you right now. Read every point carefully — missing any one of these can cost you your entire career.
The NMC Screening Test Regulations 2021 were gazette-notified on 18 November 2021 and are currently in effect. NEET is mandatory, only NMC-listed universities are valid, and you must clear FMGE to practice in India. All students going abroad must submit a bond/undertaking before leaving.
These are the rules you'll be held to if you start your MBBS abroad on or after November 18, 2021.
Before you apply anywhere, check if the university is on the NMC's approved list. This isn't optional — if your university isn't recognized by the NMC, you won't be allowed to practice in India after graduating, no matter how good your grades are.
Under the NMC Act 2019, every Indian student who wants to study medicine abroad must first clear NEET. There's no way around this. Minimum qualifying percentile: 50th for General category, 40th for SC/ST/OBC.
Once you're back from your MBBS, you'll need to pass the FMGE Screening Test before you can register and practice in India. The pass rate historically sits between 15–25%, so preparation needs to start from Year 1, not after you return.
Your MBBS program must be at least 54 months (about 4.5 years) of actual study — not counting the internship. On top of that, you need to complete a 12-month internship at an NMC-approved hospital in the same country. Total: 66 months minimum.
Since the 2021 regulations came into effect, every student heading abroad for medicine must submit a signed bond/undertaking to the NMC before departure. This confirms you understand the FMGE requirement and NMC rules.
If you took admission before November 18, 2021, the older 2002 screening test regulations will apply to you — not the 2021 ones. If you're unsure which set of rules covers you, talk to us before making any decisions.
You'll face this exam when you come back from your MBBS. The better you understand it now, the better prepared you'll be.
Every Indian student graduating from a foreign medical university must qualify the FMGE to obtain registration and practice medicine in India.
Your chosen university needs to tick every one of these boxes. If it doesn't, don't go there — regardless of what anyone tells you.
These aren't scare tactics — these are real mistakes students have made, and some of them couldn't recover from it.
VGLOBAL only works with NMC-recognized universities. Talk to our counsellors and we'll walk you through exactly where you stand and what you need to do.