Foreign graduates can complete internship in India: NMC

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has said that medical graduates who have returned to the country without completing their internships because of situations beyond their control can do so in India, a remark that came even as students were being evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine.

India has sought ceasefire by Russian and Ukrainian troops for evacuation of its citizens from the conflict zones of Kharkiv and Sumy in eastern Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to move into Ukraine, triggering a geopolitical crisis. The government is operating evacuation flights from the region and has deployed four Union ministers to countries neighbouring Ukraine to spearhead the effort.

Also Read | Amid intense shelling by Russia, India focuses on evacuating students from Sumy

The NMC said in a circular on Friday that medical graduates forced to return due to situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic or war can finish their internships in India. It said the internships can be processed by state medical councils, provided the candidates have cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination before applying for the completion of internship in India.

The NMC governs medical education in the country after the Medical Council of India was disbanded in 2020.

“There are some foreign medical graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situations beyond their control, such as the pandemic Covid-19 and war, etc. Considering the agony and stress faced by these foreign medical graduates, their application to complete the remaining part of their internship in India is considered eligible. Accordingly, the same may be processed by state medical councils,” the circular said.

Also Read | ‘We are afraid, can’t wait anymore’: Stranded students appeal to govt

It also said that colleges cannot charge a fee from the students for these internships. They should also be given stipends and facilities equivalent to the students in India, it added.

According to NMC guidelines earlier, medical graduates need to complete their education and a 12-month-long internship from the same institute where they start the course.

The commission, however, hasn’t taken a call on those who haven’t completed their courses yet.