How does the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council implement NMC rules for FMG registration?

How does the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council implement NMC rules for FMG registration

 The Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) implements the National Medical Commission (NMC) rules for Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) permanent registration with strict adherence to NMC’s stepwise guidelines and timelines.

Key aspects of APMC’s implementation:

• Internship Requirements:

o    FMGs who studied their final year online due to COVID-19 or the Ukraine war are required to complete two years of internship in Andhra Pradesh: one year of clinical clerkship and one year of internship.

o    FMGs who studied both penultimate and final years online must complete three years (two years of clinical clerkship + one year of internship).

o    Only FMGs who fully comply with these NMC guidelines are granted permanent registration.

• Verification Process:

o    APMC mandates degree verification through the relevant Indian Embassy. FMGs must have their documents, including proof of offline compensated training (if any), verified not only by their parent foreign university but also via the Indian Embassy before PR is issued.

o    If compensatory clinical training certificates are submitted for online studies, APMC evaluates whether these meet NMC standards; insufficient details lead to the application being put on hold.

• No Independent Discretion:

o    The Registrar or individual officers do not have the authority to make exceptions; the full Council, and only in line with NMC guidelines, may grant PR. All Council decisions are collective and bound by NMC updates.

• Handling of Disputed Cases:

o    FMGs disputing the need for extended internship or whose compensation certificates are rejected have had their cases put on hold. Recently, a number of FMGs challenged these requirements in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which ruled that APMC must proactively verify documents and, if the FMG meets NMC’s eligibility criteria, grant PR promptly.

• Revised Norms and Ongoing Review:

o    APMC updates its procedures with every NMC notice; most recently, it has started implementing circulars as of June and November 2024, explicitly referencing their content in communications and public statements.

The APMC strictly implements NMC guidelines for FMG permanent registration, requiring extended internships for those with online/disrupted studies, rigorous embassy-level verification, and no discretionary exceptions. Only FMGs fully compliant with the current NMC framework receive PR; others have their registration withheld until they meet all stipulated conditions.