The
Medical Council of India
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...
Screening Test, also known as the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE), is a licensure examination conducted by the
National Board of Examinations
National Board of Examinations (NBE) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India), Government of India, and established in 1975 at New Delhi as a Society under Delhi Society registration act, to standardizing pos ...
(NBE) in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The test is one of the mandatory requirements for an Indian citizen who has a medical degree from a college outside India to practice medicine in the country. (
teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital or medical centre that provides medical education and training to future and current health professionals. Teaching hospitals are almost always affiliated with one or more universities and are often co-located ...
). The screening test was introduced in 2002 as a qualifying examination for Indian students obtaining their medical degrees from countries other than India, such as countries belonging to the former
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
, Eastern European countries, China, Nepal, Philippines, and Caribbean countries. Indian doctors holding basic medical degrees from the above countries have to take the MCI screening test. The Medical School should have been listed in the
WHO international directory of Medical Schools (Now The ''World Directory of Medical Schools''). Candidates who qualify the Screening Test may apply to the
National Medical Commission
National Medical Commission (NMC) is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It replaced the Medical Council of India on 25 September 2020. The Commission grants recognition of medi ...
of India or to any Indian State Medical Council for provisional registration or permanent registration.
The legality of the test was challenged in the Indian courts and was upheld by the
Supreme Court of India in 2009. This test has generated controversy with accusations that it is unfair and lacks transparency—for example, not allowing examinees to retain their question paper after examination, or not showing the exact marks or answer sheet upon appeal for failure. An appeal petition filed under
RTI India
The Right to Information (RTI) is an act of the Parliament of India which sets out the rules and procedures regarding citizens' right to information. It replaced the former Freedom of Information Act, 2002. Under the provisions of RTI Act, an ...
to reveal the marks of an appealing student was not granted.
This examination is held twice in year in June and December on the third Monday and Tuesday of the month.
The
National Medical Commission
National Medical Commission (NMC) is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It replaced the Medical Council of India on 25 September 2020. The Commission grants recognition of medi ...
(which replaced the Medical Council of India in 2020) released draft regulations in 2021 on foreign medical graduates (FMGs) that amends the requirement for the Screening Test. Starting in 2022, overseas graduates will be required to qualify the new
National Exit Test
National Exit Test (abbreviated as NExT) is a proposed examination for all MBBS students in India that is required to pass the final year and obtain a license to practice medicine. Admissions to postgraduate courses will be based on the merit of a ...
(NExT) in place of the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE). Candidates intending to practice in India will have to clear NExT, within two years of completing their medical studies abroad. The draft regulation is expected to become official when published in the next gazette.
See also
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Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship
The Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) refers to one year of compulsory work in hospitals attached to a medical college or in any other approved teaching hospital before becoming qualified to practice as an independent doctor or dentist ...
*
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates According to the US Department of Education, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates is "the authorized credential evaluation and guidance agency for non-U.S. physicians and graduates of non-U.S. medical schools who seek to practice ...
*
Medical Council of India
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...
*
National Eligibility and Entrance Test
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an all India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental ( BDS) ...
*
The National Council for Human Resource in Health in India
National Medical Commission (NMC) is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It replaced the Medical Council of India on 25 September 2020. The Commission grants recognition of medi ...
References
External links
The ''World Directory of Medical Schools''The National Board of Examinations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medical Council Of India Screening Test
Medical education in India
Standardised tests in India
2002 establishments in India